[BLDG-SIM] DOE-2

[BKoran at aol.com]

I wholeheartedly concur with John Karasaki's comments, although I have had no 
opportunity to use DOE-2 for several years now, and so have little experience 
with graphical versions.

I have seen serious flaws even in DOE-2 models created without using a GUI 
version. I believe it is a certainty that the greater tendency to be 
satisfied with defaults, as well as the typically decreased understanding of 
what the program is actually doing, means that using a GUI version will often 
result in a less appropriate simulation.

A careful modeler can certainly create a good model with a text-based or a 
GUI-based version, but being forced to input nearly everything really helps 
with long-term understanding.  A think the keys to simulation, with any model 
(including spreadsheet models) are (1) extreme care, and (2) question 
everything to the point of paranoia.  Since most project timelines don't 
allow this, there are a lot of mediocre-to-poor models out there!  (Although 
I hope not from the readers of this list!<g>)

Bill


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