Practice Makes Perfect - Lowering the Barriers to Silicon Systems Design [Associate Editors´ View]

Consider, for a while, the challenges associated with software access and distribution faced by commercial companies in the pursuit of working silicon and/or systems. Software is a value-added asset and as such is (quite rightly) protected from misuse and copying by both vendors and customers alike. This way, revenue for CAD companies is protected. This in turn allows for investment back into research and ultimately new tool and methodology development.