AW: [sdiy] rev eng -> fwd eng?

[Grant Richter]

Digital audio programming, to this point, has been about data reduction.
The standard FFT is optimized for computing efficiency and not audio
performance.

The problem is modeling continuous time functions on discrete time systems,
which is very processor intensive, even at low data rates. SPICE is an
example of this type of computation.

We have now reached the stage where the excess computing power of the
Pentium and G4 class machines make this feasible. I am aware of at least one
group working on implementing advanced continuous time based Slow Fourier
Transforms which provide a much finer structure than the Fast Fourier
method.

If this works, it opens the door to developing on the s-plane (continuous
time), and reusing the large base of s-plane technology which has never been
"ported" to the z-plane (discrete time).

An entire book could be written about the waste caused by having a global
level paradigm shift with no master plan. Switching the technology base from
continuous time computing to discrete time computing cost the equivalent of
about 1 year of the Gross Global Product (if you consider 10% over 10 years)

Hopefully, the next paradigm shift will be conducted with less clownish
disorder. The human race can ill afford expenses on that order of magnitude.

> 
> Ok, I know, better replace spice with: nonlinear differetial equation
> solver.
> 
> It needn't be SPICE if there's something better. I don't use SPICE
> either, our homebrew tool is caled CEDUSA, only the netlist syntax
> is SPICIAN.