Software STELLA

With the plethora of modern modeling software it is a simple matter to write any differential equation and solve it to suitable numerical accuracy. Indeed, with some software (e.g., SAAM II, Madonna, Stella) it is not even necessary to write differential equations any longer, models can be simply generated using a graphical... 

Before closing this section it should be mentioned that most of the methods discussed above can be solved using commercially available programs such as symbolic computation (Mathematica, Maple, or Mathcad 3.0), equation solvers (TK Solver Plus or Mathcad 3.0), spreadsheets (e.g., Lotus 123, Quattro Pro, Microsoft Excel, or Wingz), simulators (Extend or Stella), or Microsoft FORTRAN 5.0. For example, one can introduce the idea of molecular mechanics on model systems using a spreadsheet. Actual applications of molecular mechanics are much better carried out on a software package designed for that purpose, however. 

Software packages for continuous time simulation include Vensim, Stella, and Matlab Simulink. The use of continuous simulation for modeling manufacturing systems has been limited thus far. 

While STELLA gives a glimpse of what future software might be able to do, modem spreadsheets are almost as easily used to solve comparable problems. Spreadsheets that can be linked to graphical output provide an extremely powerful environment for exploring numerical solutions to differential equations. Spreadsheets explicitly show the calculations, are easily set up and modified, and provide quick, dynamic graphs that make it easy to explore the effect of parameters on a model. 

The solution of dynamic systems with software like STELLA and spreadsheets gives a broad range of students the tools with which they can understand complex systems. While not... 

Stella [modelling software], Lyme, NH High Performance Systems. 

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