FIT 100
© Copyright 1999-2000
University of Washington
Modeling The Physical World
vA computer model
represents characteristics of some physical, social, or economic phenomenon,
and attempts
to reproduce or approximate its behavior and/or outputs in response to inputs
oTrivial example --
the Mac’s Audio CD Player, discussed as the “perfect GUI,” attempts to replicate a
physical CD player to aid users in understanding its operation
oComplex
example -- Boeing’s 777 was designed on-line; certain parts such as the wing
used sophisticated techniques computational fluid dynamics to create an
“optimal” design
The examples have dramatically different purposes