Digital design always involves testing the response of the circuit to a set of predefined inputs or test vectors. Most engineers have to build small wire-wrapped cards, or "kludges," which generate these test vectors.
Not only is this method cumbersome and prone to human error, it also does not provide enough flexibility to test digital systems, such as microprocessors, which need non-repetitive test vectors.
With the advent of instruments like CompuGen 3250, these "kludges" are a thing of the past, as even the most complex test vectors can be generated in a matter of minutes by simply typing them out on an IBM PC.