4 ms·
Biggest issue is surely speed? Computers are measured in MHz and GHz. How do you even get close to that using mechanical means? Speed is also a core value pro
by MrsPeaches 2y ago
Biggest issue is surely speed?
Computers are measured in MHz and GHz. How do you even get close to that using mechanical means?
Speed is also a core value proposition (to use contemporary parlance) of computers I.e computers can carry out calculations at a rate of MHz/Ghz. If you want to talk in any meaningful sense of “computation”, and the usefulness thereof, speed of computation is a key metric.
I reckon cooling would be an even bigger concern than it is currently.
- richk449 2y agoIf you have no computers, getting to kHz is a huge advantage. Eniac ran at 100kHz (I think) and it was revolutionary.
- omoikane 2y agoNote that mechanical computers aren't the only alternative to electric computers, biological computing is another area of active research: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_computing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_computing Speed and cooling might be less of an issue considering the scale which biological processes operate. Although biological computing sounds a lot like just doing everything by hand: https://xkcd.com/2173/ https://xkcd.com/2173/
- throwAGIway 2y agoYou can't get biological computers without having very high speed computers though. This field of biology is very reliant on computer analysis.
- denton-scratch 2y agoFor many years I've wanted to build a digital clock out of fluid gates. The medium would be clear water; the 7-segment display would consist of transparent tubes, into which stained oil is pushed to activate a segment. I think a gate would probably be some kind of vortex. I've never tried to build it, because - I don't know anything about fluid mechanics - The 'exhaust' is water, so I could only really operate this thing in the bath