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> I don’t think the Romans could have built the analytical engine or other purely mechanical computer because of the tolerances required. I don’t know much abou
by buro9 14y ago
> I don’t think the Romans could have built the analytical engine or other purely mechanical computer because of the tolerances required. I don’t know much about their manufacturing abilities, but I know they didn’t do a lot of it and imported most things.
But yet the greeks produced machines of incredible precision and function circa 150 to 100 BC.
http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/ http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/
And whether they imported them or not, clearly the ability to manufacture to such precision did exist.
- imrehg 14y agoIf only one would read the actual article... > It’s hard to know how precise manufacturing techniques were back then, but one of the best clues we have is the Antikythera mechanism. It uses hand cut gears that are surprisingly precise, but still probably not good enough for a mechanical computer. Small inaccuracies in the gear trains would add up, and this is evident in the Antikythera mechanism. It would be even more pronounced in a room sized contraption and would almost certainly prevent any useful calculations from being performed.