At the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, Professors George Adams and Henry Dietz have developed research tools for computer architecture performance analysis and for assembler, compiler, and translator construction. The KIWI (Kiwi Is "What If?") Software Project is to adapt and augment these tools to create the foundation for an experimental approach to integrated system design at the undergraduate level. The emphasis is on making the tools powerful and easy to use, providing software support, and developing tool-based modular experiments tied to specific concepts in computer system design. These experiments can enhance traditional courses, especially those involving computer architecture and compilers. At the lowest level the tools will facilitate experimentation with simple concepts in architecture design and system software construction. At the highest level, they will support experiments that allow students to examine design tradeoffs in complete systems, where the interaction of architecture and system software is varied and evaluated. Dissemination will make heavy use of electronic distribution. Videotapes and teleconferences, produced using Purdue's Continuing Engineering Education facilities, will provide "electronic instructors' manuals" to help schools adopt the tools and experiments.

KIWI is not quite ready for distribution yet... watch for public domain release of portions of KIWI sometime in 1996. However, a preliminary and related project, DISC, is available, and we would appreciate feedback on its features to guide our KIWI development. In addition we now have a brief demo of some of the simulation abilities of DISC available on the WWW. Click on the outlined buttons below the demo to interact with the simulation.

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KIWI bird and logo copyrighted 1995 by dbdesign.