Author: sgolson
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2014 Synopsys Users Group Conference (SNUG Silicon Valley 2014)
Synchronization and Metastability by Steve Golson Abstract: The phenomenon of metastability is inherent in clocked digital logic. Many techniques have been presented for minimizing metastability, both for crossing clock domains, and for handling asynchronous inputs. Some of these “best practices” have unexpected weaknesses and must be used carefully, particularly at smaller process nodes. This paper…
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Push Button: Examining the Culture, Platforms, and Design of the Arcade, MIT 2014
Push Button: From Crazy Otto to Ms. Pac-Man by Steve Golson This is (mostly) a repeat of my California Extreme talk from 2012, but in addition I discuss other GCC arcade projects such as Jr. Pac-Man, Quantum, Food Fight, and Nightmare. Also I talk about the development environment at GCC. Many thanks to MIT Game…
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2013
The tents in the foreground are lit by a rising moon, while the green dancing light of the aurora glows softly overhead. The aurora borealis or northen lights is caused by energetic charged particles entering the upper atmosphere from space. Our sun emits a constant stream of these particles (the solar wind). Earth’s magnetic field guides them towards the north pole and…
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2012
When a comet moves through the inner solar system, heat from the sun produces large numbers of small rocky particles that spread out into a meteoroid stream stretching along the comet’s entire orbit. Each October as the Earth crosses the orbit of Comet Halley, many such meteoroids burn up as they enter the atmosphere, resulting in the Orionid…
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Classic Gaming Expo 2012
History of Atari 7800 ProSystem Development at General Computer by Steve Golson Summary: A brief history of General Computer and its leading role in the development of the Atari 7800 ProSystem. Also a review of GCC’s other products for Atari home game consoles and computers. Thanks to Irish Nerd Life you can watch part of…
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California Extreme 2012
From Crazy Otto to Ms. Pac-Man by Steve Golson Here’s the description from the conference website: Ms. Pac-Man was released in early 1982, so she turns thirty this year. Steve Golson, one of the original developers of Ms. Pac-Man at General Computer, will recount little-known stories about the creation of the game. How and why…
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2011
Sunspots are relatively cool spots on the surface of the sun, caused by intense localized variations in the sun’s magnetic field. They are actually quite bright, however sunspots appear dark in contrast to the more luminous surrounding material. Individual spots can last from a few hours to a few months. Most solar flares and coronal…
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2010
A rainbow may be seen when there are small spherical water drops in the air and the sun is low in the sky behind you. Sunlight entering the surface of a water drop is refracted, then reflects off the rear of the drop, then is refracted again as it leaves the drop on its way back to…
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2009
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the earth and the sun, and the moon casts its shadow on the earth. During the few minutes of totality the entire disk of the sun is blocked and its white corona can be seen. Stars and planets are visible in the dark sky. A wide-angle…
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2009 Synopsys Users Group Conference (SNUG San Jose 2009)
Consistent Timing Constraints with PrimeTime by Steve Golson Abstract: Physical implementation tools are usually timing-driven. They require timing constraints for reliable, repeatable, and successful operation. Generating and verifying these constraints is a familiar yet sometimes tedious task for the physical implementation engineer. We introduce the idea of consistent timing constraints and show how PrimeTime can…