Opinions Needed: How to describe and name the new Papilio software?


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Hello everyone, I could really use some help with a simple way to describe the new solutions I've been working on for the Papilio. The combination of the Papilio Schematic Library, the ZAP IDE, and the Benchy debugging components are all coming together to create a powerful Open Source solution that needs a simple name that people can instantly get the idea of what its about. We've been plugging away to create something new and it is coming to the point where we need to start getting the word out about what we have, and that starts with an easy to understand message about what it actually is. So what is this new thing? 

 

When we put all the pieces together, Papilio Schematic Library, ZAP IDE, and Benchy debugging what we have is a complete system for drawing and debugging electronic circuits on a chip, without the need to learn any HDL.

 

This does already exist out there, its known as Altium Designer, formally LiveDesign. LiveDesign was my very first experience with FPGA's and its what got me hooked in the first place. Back in 2004 they had a special offer where you could buy an FPGA board for $99 and use their graphical LiveDesign software for a year with their board. Everything was great until they stopped selling the boards and I realized that it costs $5K, per year, to use their software! I quickly switched to Xilinx boards and learned VHDL instead, but I never forgot the joy and ease of getting started with FPGA's using their software.

 

Things are finally coming full circle and what we have now is the ability to create a free, Open Source solution that does all of the great things that LiveDesign did. A system that anyone can use for free and everyone is encouraged to contribute to.

 

The Papilio Schematic Library provides a library of components that can wired up by simply dragging and dropping schematic symbols and connecting them by drawing, it eliminates the need to learn VHDL.

 

Benchy components provide the "Virtual Instruments" that can be used to debug the circuits in real time over the JTAG channel. We have a Logic Analyzer, waveform generator, and the next step is to generate an instrument rack using Processing. In that instrument rack I intend to make a Frequency Counter, Frequency generator, 7 segment display, LED's, switches, and pushbuttons. They will all communicate over the JTAG channel and allow us to poke, prod, and debug the circuits running inside the FPGA.

 

Finally the ZAP IDE provides the IDE for coding soft processors and the place to manage all projects and libraries. It ties everything up into one pretty package.

 

This is going to be a really exciting solution that should put FPGA's into the hands of all skill levels. So what should we call it? It's so important to get this right because we can make stuff all day long but if we can't get the word out about this system it will never go anywhere. We need something that uses a simple message to convey what its all about. Something that people can imagine using to solve their problems...

 

The best I've come up with so far is calling it:

 

REDe (Rapid Electronics Design Environment)

Draw and debug circuits on a chip with virtual lab equipment on an FPGA.

 

or,

 

REDe (Rapid Electronics Design Environment)

A complete system for drawing and debugging electronic circuits on a chip, without the need to learn any HDL.

 

Something along those lines, but it should probably be more poetic. :)

 

So please, please, please, I can use any help and ideas that you guys have.

 

Thanks!

Jack

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Butterflies drink from flowers to get their life force, much like the Papilio would draw from your new system to get the design in to work. So perhaps flower names would be a good choice, with the logo being a simplistically drawn flower.

Flos is Latin for flower (according to google translate). The acronym might be Flexible Layout & Observation w/ Schematics.

I also liked HIAsynth (rather than Hyacinth) for Hardware Inspiration Application. It fits in with the musical synthesizer themes that float through your work.

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I was thinking what you are providing is like an artist's palette of schematic elements. Different artists combine different colors in their own style, creating unique works. Papilio and Palette both begin with a "pa" sound so

Papilio Palette

HDP -> Hardware Description Palette

The way you described the software, those two names miss the whole debugging interface aspect. More like a workshop for hardware creators, perhaps a studio?

Papilio Logic Studio

Hardware Construction Studio

Hardware Schematic Studio

"Schematic Conductor" was another one. Conductor like the leader of a band directing the individual players (schematic elements) to play the music (signals) correctly, making corrections as necessary and listening for misbehaving players (JTAG debugging). Or just an electric schematic that acts as an electrical conductor.

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A little generic perhaps, but too bad "ezFPGA" is already taken...

 

How about:

 

Papilio Digital Design Lab

Virtual solder for the electronics designer.

The digital world on a chip.

 

BTW, we use Altium at work, and I thought I might switch from EAGLE until I found out how much Altium costs.  It sure put the EAGLE upgrade price in perspective!

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A little generic perhaps, but too bad "ezFPGA" is already taken...

 

How about:

 

Papilio Digital Design Lab

Virtual solder for the electronics designer.

The digital world on a chip.

 

BTW, we use Altium at work, and I thought I might switch from EAGLE until I found out how much Altium costs.  It sure put the EAGLE upgrade price in perspective!

 

That one is definitely in the running. :)

 

I hear you, I would love to use Altium, but there is just no way I can afford it.

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That's papilio & logic

And papilio + gic.

 

And the gic of papiliogic could be... mmmm.

Graphical err... Imagination & Conception ?

Graphical Integration & Conception ?

Gross Inception Componant ?

Guaranteed Instant Craziness ?

Graphical Interface for Conception ?

Going In Circle ?

Generaly Impatient Constructor ?

 

 

 

Well mmmm, dunno  ^_^

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You'd get lots of free publicity if you called it "AltCoin Mining Rig Designer" and had a few different encryption blocks you could drop into the design. You could sell it as a premium extension to the main Papilio Studio.

 

I think Studio or Design Studio makes people think of powerful expensive software, so if you gave it away for free people would go for it. Papilio is a great word once you get your tongue around it so I wouldn't change that part of the name. Papilio Lab is good too.

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