If "Jeopardy!" and "Trivial Pursuit" are too off-center for you, perhaps you'll rise to the "1998 DAC Challenge," presented by EE Times and Quicklogic Corp. at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 15, at the Yerba Buena Ballroom (Lower Level, Salon 7) of the San Francisco Marriott. Teams from top technology companies will compete to determine who has the best brains for EDA trivia.

EE Times and the Electronic Design Automation Consortium will recognize outstanding users of EDA tools in the design of electronic systems and ICs at an awards luncheon on Monday, June 15, at 11:45 a.m. at the San Francisco Marriott. Capt. James Lovell, the veteran U.S. astronaut portrayed by Tom Hanks in "Apollo 13," will address the gathering.

Stephan Ohr, who tracks mixed-signal, analog and DSP circuitry for EE Times, will lead a panel discussion on Wednesday, June 17. "How Much Analog Does A Designer Need to Know for Successful Mixed-Signal Design?" starts at 8:30 a.m. in Room 103 at the Moscone Center.

Richard Goering, managing editor, design automation/San Mateo for EE Times, and Linda Geppert of IEEE Spectrum, will co-moderate a panel session, "Using the Internet to Enhance IC Design Productivity," at 12 noon on Wednesday, June 17, in Room 200 at the Moscone Center. Then on June 24 at 2 p.m. EDT, the topics raised by the panel will be discussed in a live chat session available at EE Times Online, with some of the panelists in attendance.