LabVIEW Myths & Realities

I have come across certain LabVIEW myths that need to be killed (Let there be light):


1.
Myth: You need to purchase LabVIEW from NI to run / use LabVIEW VIs legally

Fact: You can run LabVIEW VIs legally as an executable on any number of machines without any purchase from NI. All you need is the LabVIEW Run-time engine which is free. Only developers need to purchase LabVIEW license from www.ni.com/labview for making / editing LabVIEW code / logic.


2.
Myth: LabVIEW supports NI hardware only

Fact: NI hardware forms a small sub-set of the instruments supported by LabVIEW. LabVIEW can be used to control most of the instruments in the world (unless the instrument vendor exclusively prohibits) and can even program micro-processors, FPGA etc. so as to make your own instruments.


3.
Myth: LabVIEW is for small applications. Large applications are better programmed in C/C++, Java, Visual Studio etc. LabVIEW is not a 'real' programming language.

Fact: LabVIEW is an advanced 4th generation programming language whose domain is instrumentation. It follows the graphical programming paradigm. All above languages (to date) are text-based, 3rd generation languages & are not domain specialized. They are hence used for a wide variety of applications where as LabVIEW is used for mainly Measurement & Automation. LabVIEW successfully solves huge engineering problems and can create great applications. Visit: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0E5B77FAEBF4EE0D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=W1czBcnX1Ww or http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-740
I have listed certain LabVIEW industrial applications here for whom I have the permission.  
Besides, I have seen many factories and have helped program a few that are on total automation based on LabVIEW Real-time.


4.
Myth: PLC based system is more rugged and LabVIEW on PC cannot be deterministic.

Fact: A cRIO based system has everything a PLC has plus all the obvious advantages of LabVIEW. LabVIEW is the only language I know that can so effortlessly make a standard PC / Laptop a real-time target.

Getting to know A New kind of Science...

Although LabVIEW is my tool of choice, I occasionally use others too.

Currently, my curiosity is aroused by Mathematica after knowing it being used in Wolfram Alpha.
Reading the book on new science online (obviously can't wait till Amazon ships a copy to me in India) and am fascinated by what it says on Logic!

I'm overwhelmed with thousands of queries, so decided to fire one question right away to Dr. Stephen Wolfram.

Yes, correct. I'm not kidding. All questions from users of crazy engineers are answered here: http://www.crazyengineers.com/dr-stephen-wolfram-wolframalpha-mathematica-a-new-kind-of-science/

My question: Are the new rules of logic upon which computation can be based, radically different from conventional logic? Alternatively, is it an extension of conventional logic + something else?

Dr Wolfram's answer: Computation is ultimately about following rules—of any kind. Traditional logic represents just one class of rules. There are lots of others that can be used. One of the surprising discoveries from NKS is just how easy it is to find rules that can support universal computation. And that’s important if one wants to base computation on elements like molecules. About logic itself: I wondered just how special the axiom system of logic that we use is. One can enumerate the whole space of possible axiom systems, and then one finds that logic is about the 50,000 system one encounters. There’s really nothing special about it, except the role it plays in human intellectual history.