sw. for visualizing the workings of simple electronic circuitry?

Windows 2000 sp4
(maybe Linux too)

Hello,
I am looking for Software for teaching myself basic electronics by
visualizing simulated electronic elements/simple circuits over time.

The software should include elements like resistors, capacitors, loops,
transistors, consumers (?how do you say? - e.g. a lamp, a motor, etc.)
that could be put together to simple circuitry, or maybe just some
simple predefined circuits.

It would be nice to have an simulated oscillator which could be fed with
"signals" from this or that location of the circuit, to "measure"
parameter values over time. The circuitry could be animated with e.g.
colors or the like, to display e.g. voltage, current, frequency, etc.
and changes thereof over time.

So far I don't now much about electronics, and I'd like to have such
software to grasp at least a few basic concepts. Freeware would be nice,
but I'd also like to hear about more expensive software, if available.

Thanks very much in advance, Fred

 

You could start with my notes and links to some 60 ECAD programs at
http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/ECADList.html

Some of these have simulation facilities. And some of those, such as
CircuitMaker (which has a free student version), can 'animate' digital
circuits.

 

Hi Terry,
thank you very much for the link to your list. I have downloaded
"SwitcherCAD III" (based on SPICE; by www.linear.com, filesize is about
5 MB).

CircuitMaker's free student demo looks tempting, I'll have a look at it.

Regards, Fred