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Because we're now locked into binary? Balanced ternary computers were built and used in the Soviet Union until 1970: http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/setu

Because we're now locked into binary? Balanced ternary computers were built and used in the Soviet Union until 1970: http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/setun.htm http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/setun.htm

microcolonel 7y ago
> Because we're now locked into binary Binary has so many useful properties that are relatively intuitive to understand. Binary is a uniquely convenient number system. Even day to day, base-two number systems are hyper-convenient. One thing I can think of that balanced ternary has interesting properties for is 2D space partitioning. Balanced ternary partitioning is an interesting tool; then again, you could just use modulo binary space partitioning (i.e. wrap the space around by half the width of a binary partition), it's almost as good. I wonder what the balanced ternary equivalent of an octree would be, I guess it would be a 27-tree, kinda cool, like the 3² tree. > used in the Soviet Union until 1970 So was a planned economy, and they still haven't recovered. The KGB sure have staying power though, must be the balanced ternary advantage! ;- ) It's not like balanced ternary has no positives, but you have to acknowledge that well before even decent relay computers were invented, binary was already much better explored than balanced ternary; obviously relay computers helped solidify that (though bi-quinary did not survive, popular as it was since Colossus).
- DonaldFisk 7y ago
  The Setun wasn't part of the planned economy, which resulted in it being cancelled by the USSR's economic planners.
- afiori 7y ago
  > Binary is a uniquely convenient number system. Binary has many advantages, but more from a logical perspective than a numerical one. Namely signs. I don't think balanced ternary computers are ever coming back. I think it is a nice lost technology :) (And if I ever will find myself in the condition to start a civilization from nothing I will consider a balanced ternary/5/7 number system)
  - microcolonel 7y ago
    > Namely signs. Signed arithmetic is elegant enough in binary, I guarantee you will fail to express even basic arithmetic concepts in balanced ternary to any lay person. As for experts implementing them in a system, there are advantages to balanced forms, but good luck finding enough experts. The benefits probably start kicking in for very large integers, where the carry itself can take longer than you might like.

microcolonel 7y ago

> Because we're now locked into binary Binary has so many useful properties that are relatively intuitive to understand. Binary is a uniquely convenient number system. Even day to day, base-two number systems are hyper-convenient. One thing I can think of that balanced ternary has interesting properties for is 2D space partitioning. Balanced ternary partitioning is an interesting tool; then again, you could just use modulo binary space partitioning (i.e. wrap the space around by half the width of a binary partition), it's almost as good. I wonder what the balanced ternary equivalent of an octree would be, I guess it would be a 27-tree, kinda cool, like the 3² tree. > used in the Soviet Union until 1970 So was a planned economy, and they still haven't recovered. The KGB sure have staying power though, must be the balanced ternary advantage! ;- ) It's not like balanced ternary has no positives, but you have to acknowledge that well before even decent relay computers were invented, binary was already much better explored than balanced ternary; obviously relay computers helped solidify that (though bi-quinary did not survive, popular as it was since Colossus).

DonaldFisk 7y ago
The Setun wasn't part of the planned economy, which resulted in it being cancelled by the USSR's economic planners.
afiori 7y ago
> Binary is a uniquely convenient number system. Binary has many advantages, but more from a logical perspective than a numerical one. Namely signs. I don't think balanced ternary computers are ever coming back. I think it is a nice lost technology :) (And if I ever will find myself in the condition to start a civilization from nothing I will consider a balanced ternary/5/7 number system)
- microcolonel 7y ago
  > Namely signs. Signed arithmetic is elegant enough in binary, I guarantee you will fail to express even basic arithmetic concepts in balanced ternary to any lay person. As for experts implementing them in a system, there are advantages to balanced forms, but good luck finding enough experts. The benefits probably start kicking in for very large integers, where the carry itself can take longer than you might like.