What was your opinion around 25 years ago when HP launched new logic analyzer system 16500?
It was series 16500 whole logic analyzer system, first A, then B and later C and between these series did not need change this user interface basics. But it need note that nearly sure this time also most users have been well educated and professionals. It was not for gameboy kids who do not understand what he is doing but he can push and turn every button in front panel and screen under some seconds and then tell this is crap because it do or show something he do not understand.
Good example. And I fully agree with you.
I guess the problem is that many (oldschool?) EEs still expect modern scopes to look like in the 1930's, i.e. all knobs and buttons, with vertical controls on left and horizontal controls on the right (which always struck me as odd, after all 'X' comes before 'Y'). Which is all well and fine if one uses an oscilloscope merely as a device to look at waveforms i.e. like a CRO). However, this can't work if the scope is used as a signal analyzer, which is what traditional scopes weren't. So there have to be additional controls, which simply weren't there on CROs.
One way to deal with the additional functionality and the user controls required is to plaster the front panel with even more buttons (or give every button 5 or six different functions), which isn't the most ergonomical solution. Another way is to use softkeys, which is what many modern scopes use (as did older LeCroy scopes running VxWorks or LeCroy's own OS before that). But I really believe scopes are one area where touch interfaces really shine. Drawing a box around a signal area I want to zoom in or an area I want to trigger on is quicker and easier than doing the same with manual controls or wading through menus.
This aside, it's not that LeCroy has dumped physical buttons and knobs, they are still there. All basic scope functions can be changed without having to touch the screen.
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
