4 ms·
Fair point. However, being programmable was one of the requirements listed in the article. Was the Antikythera mechanism actually programmable or was its calcul
by quibono 3y ago
Fair point. However, being programmable was one of the requirements listed in the article. Was the Antikythera mechanism actually programmable or was its calculation set in stone through its physical design?
- Aardwolf 3y agoDo medieval programmable music boxes count then? Or perhaps only things that can have branch instructions count
- simonh 3y agoI think the most objective definition is probably Turing Completeness, but that's a pretty high bar.
- constantcrying 3y agoMusic boxes weren't programmable in the sense that they allowed for a different algorithm to be performed. They changed the timing of certain operations. >Or perhaps only things that can have branch instructions count The author identifies programmability as the most interesting metric, which creates a "computer". Branching is necessary for that but not sufficient.
- praptak 3y agoI'd start the definition at "varied function and varied input data". Not necessarily branch instructions, the function can be much simpler. So no, music boxes have no input data.
- Ekaros 3y agoMusic boxes can have input data. Drum with notches is input just as cards with holes is input. They just do not have the other part of varied function. It might not be fast to replace the input data, but it is possible.
- JohnBooty 3y agoThey can if you want them to! It's all semantics. I personally wouldn't.
- YeGoblynQueenne 3y agoMy problem with that, is that it is an arbitrary distinction given the title of the article "there were no ancient computers". Of course, if you draw the line at programmable computers, then there were no ancient computers because fixed-program computers are not computers; only, they actually are.