EEVblog #83 - Do You Suck At Hardware Or Software?

Drive time rant.
Hardware vs Software, which one do you suck at?

[SimonBastienFiliatrault]

It is fun how you chose the hardware solution over software one with your mic.

[robertselectronichobbies]

Unfortunately only the largest companies can afford to have a different people for each area of the design. If you are applying at a smaller company they will want you to be able to do it all. This a personal choice but I have found it to be much more interesting to work at smaller companies doing it all. When I worked at larger companies I was given such a small slice of the project that I found it boring.

[macguionbajo]

I'm finishing computer engineering and here I am... watching and enjoying your 5 years old videos about hardware. I hope I chose the right career...

[mdanieltays]

I kind of like seeing out the window. It's like I'm in the car with him having a chat.

[wmblemania]

IMO.. cont... just focus. A lack of focus is a major reason why people don't succeed in their fields.

Be really really good at what you do, and just keep secondary tasks to a minimum.

[anthonyrocha]

As a firmware engineer for 20+ years, I feel that I am more of a systems level person that works at the hardware/software interface. I try to maintain my basic knowledge of electronics alive as a hobbyist, and dabble on hardware description languages and FPGAs from time to time. I believe it is easier for a hardware person to transition into firmware/software.   

[leokuan]

dave's absolutely right; sure there are plenty of gurus out there who are really good at either discipline and still are reasonably good at the other. But with the way electronic products evolve these days, projects can get really complex. What if your project requires some custom RF stuff? antennas? not all EE guys can do those things. What about ASIC? same story. I'm not even going to begin on the CS side of things. This is why engineers work in teams and outsource what we can't do in-house.

[AlienRelics]

@steveUys I think the question was, can you -master- both. Mastery of a field requires a much deeper knowledge and skill level than familiarity of a field.

You seem to be talking about software people having familiarity with hardware, and vice versa. And on this I agree with you.

[billkbgwb]

Professionally I'm software, but at home in my free time I'm hardware doing RF (ham radio) and audio (helping my friend with his recording setup). I love integrating microcontrollers into my home projects so I can code for pleasure :-)

[chalisload]

Hey Dave I am putting together my electronic lab now, you have truly inspired me I will provide some pictures in a few months when I have every thing all together. Thanks keep up the good work .

[artifactingreality]

When it comes to hardware I probably don't even qualify as an amateur. I just watch the blog to satisfy my curiosity about electronics.

There are so many people on the internet who like to pretend they know what they're talking about and give crap advice that you just can't ignore guys like Dave who take the time to tell it like it is.

[ceecrb]

For those in the world, like me who found out too late at uni, that we do suck at electronics and or software.... I am REALLY getting on well running "my own" workshop in an events company repairing and maintining all kinds of toys, from stepper motors to signals to computer stuff to large 7kw discharge fixture ballasts etc etc.. Its really varied and its worth while. The pay isnt that great but we are always short of even bad engineers in the warehouses!

[christopherguy]

Wow, you get it! I suck at hardware, I came across your channel looking for basic background information and got so much more. I am a software person 100%, I have my degree in software and I've been making my living with software for the last 30 years. Your advice to specialize in one part of the hardware domain also applies to the software side.

The speed at which these industries are changing means you'll need to spend your free time just trying to not fall too far behind in the area you have selected. I can tell the approximate year someone graduated from university just by reading their code (for most people), I can also tell the era that the managers worked based on the coding standards in use.

The explosion of low cost maker boards and development tools has brought me in to this new world where I can interface with the hardware directly. I know if I ever want to get past the breadboard stage for anything I do I'll need to hire a hardware person to do it correctly but the little I can do on the breadboard lets me explore and get my hands dirty enough that I can determine what might work and what doesn't work. The same is probably true on the hardware side, your software skills will let you explore but you'll need help before going to production.

What is exciting is when the best of both worlds come together to produce a product and if the offerings today are any indication of what is to come then hold on to your hat the changes are going to come really fast.

[yakacm]

Just a quick note for anyone who knows C and wants to learn C++. I learnt C many years ago when I was in my 20's, and about 15 years later I looked at C++ assuming that it would be similar, or at least I would be able to leverage my knowledge of C. When I looked at it superficially it looked like a completely different language, and left it. It wasn't until I took a longer look at it a couple of years back that I found that C++ is just C, or at least a subset of it, it's just C++ comes at things from a different way, put it this way the same compilers will compile C and C++. You don't necessarily have to write object orientated code with C++. My point is if you know C then have a bash at C++ don't be put off by first appearances.

[DairyNZ]

Rather than butchering the plug. You can get a 3.5mm mono to stereo adapters for a couple of dollars.

[chalisload]

Thanks for this drive time rant, I am about to graduate from college and presently I work in the field full time but sometime I feel bad that I suck at software programming . I love the hardware aspects of electronics and I think I do it pretty well, but I hate programming . I still do a little reading and practicing it, but i don't ever see me mentioning it on my resume because I would be telling a potential employer stories. I will still try the programming at home with my projects though .

[SigEpBlue]

I think you hit the nail on the head, Dave. Almost no matter how good you get at either, you're going to lose some of it over time; constantly learning new associated skills, to deal with an ever-evolving field, seems to work well for me.

I suck with software, or rather I'm very SLOW at developing it, but I'm getting better with time and screw-ups. I can always fall back on assembly, right? ;)

[iamtheug]

Dave, why dont you make an adapter for your lapel mic so that you dont have to lop the end off every time? i know i did that to use my "iphone/blackberry" headset so i can use it on xbox live. it would seem to me that you would save some time doing that.

[wepefD]

I'm gonna be a software developer, but lately electronics has become very interesting to me. I feel sad that I can't master both, but who says I cant have a hobby :)

[DemetryRomanowski]

Chopping the mic end can produce un-wanted noise... for more professional quality sound (mainly for XLR unbalanced mics) you want a XLR adapter like the DXA or such!