A systematic study of the implementation of simulation hardware (TIMS) replacing software (MATLAB) was undertaken for advanced undergraduate and early graduate courses in electrical engineering. One outcome of the qualitative component of the study was remarkable: most students interviewed (4/4 and 6/9) perceived the software simulations as "fake." Professionals, on the other hand, find such simulations as essentially perfectly replacing data from "real" systems. The implications of this large difference in perception between advanced undergraduate/early graduate students and professionals are discussed. At present, suitable theoretical frameworks related to motivation do not afford satisfactory explanation for this observation.