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>The Mountain View Computer History Museum is saying goodbye to one of its most unique exhibits, if not also its most priceless. I know its poor form to mentio
by GeorgeRichard 11y ago
>The Mountain View Computer History Museum is saying goodbye to one of its most unique exhibits, if not also its most priceless.
I know its poor form to mention such things but "unique" and "priceless" are both absolutes: something is unique/priceless or it's not. For example, if one thinks about two unique things it is not possible to say which is more unique than the other. (If one thinks about Difference Engines, since there is one in the Science Museum and one in the Computer History Museum, neither is unique.)
Usually when I see this sort of thing I shrug and remind myself that living languages constantly change. (It seems that "unique" has lost some of its force and is changing its meaning to something like "very unusual" or "very rare".) But two examples in one sentence apparently stirs the old fuddy-duddy in me to action...
- ta93882 11y agoperhaps it's the domain people refer to? For example: A chair that I make is unique, there is not another exactly like it. A chair that I make is unique, there is only one in the world made by me. In this case, the chair is unique in a very specific way. However, the Babbage engine is unique in more ways. First mechanical computer of a certain complexity. Only mechanical computer with so much funding from the government. Build quality, ability etc...