A fair clarification, I realize that I was sort of mixing two different topics (and didn't mean to imply it had anything to do with analog computing).
What I meant was that in the title of the book they use "digital computer" and I wonder if there was ever a book describing a mechanical "analog computer" - and what they might even look like. It's also funny to me they've inserted the word "working" (I wonder if that was a subtle tribute to the Babbage machine, which at the time wasn't confirmed to be a working system -- I've read that the Mark-1 was largely inspired as an intent to realize the Analytic Engine, but the Mark-1 does include numerous "electro" upgrades probably to make the implementation far more practical and more useful in the end). and - thanks on the notes for ternary computers (and also references to where this "paperclip computer" has been realized in the past!). -Steve On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 2:03 PM Bill Degnan via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I should add, the paperclip computer was a mechanical computer, not an > analog computer in the 50-60's sense of the term. > b > > On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 2:05 AM Bill Degnan <billdeg...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Steve > > You ask a lot of good questions. > > The story is pretty well documented. There was a company that made a > > commercial version of the computer described in the book > > > > > https://blog.adafruit.com/2013/05/08/how-to-build-a-working-digital-computer-out-of-paperclips/ > > There is a nice paperclip computer at the System Source museum in Hunt > > Valley, MD. > > I am sure there are people who actually built homebrew versions by > > following the book but I have never seen one. > > > > Analog computers are not like quantum computers enough for a valid > > comparison. Different era, different uses. Quantum computers are still > > digital computers and they're really nothing like analog computers of the > > 50's-late 60's. > > > > Analog computers were wired to complete a circuit that performs a > > mathematical function circuit. The inputs and outputs are voltages or > > other electronically-measurable forces such as vibration. When an analog > > computer program runs the output is sent to a voltmeter, oscilloscope, > > plotter or counter, or custom device. A person would take the plot > (waves, > > plotted points, etc.) and measure the slope or wave frequency manually by > > performing additional calculations with a slide rule or feeding the data > > into a digital computer for analysis. Think smart programmable > thermostat. > > > > Analog computers are more like open-use peripherals that can be > programmed > > to do one thing at a time over and over. Analog computers often > > had amplifier tubes which were used to generate input voltage pulses to > be > > fed into the program circuitry. I am just touching the surface, but hope > > that explains what they did. They're no longer used for general > computing > > because now we have USB devices that do analog to digital conversion > > > > 50's-60s' analog computer programming is done by patch panel. > > > > BIll > > > > > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 10:58 PM Steve Lewis via cctalk < > > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > > >> Last month, I got to speak at VCF SW on aspects about the history of > >> personal computers. > >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpF6Ofrr6_0 > >> (I botched a couple things, a link to corrections is in the Description) > >> > >> I brought up the 1968 book "How to build a working digital > >> computer"(Alcosser). I was wondering about opinions here on that book - > >> was it at all influential at the time? Or is anyone aware of > actually > >> building the system it describes? > >> > >> And - any thoughts on "digital computer" vs analog? I'm aware of early > >> Heathkit analog computers. Is it fair to say quantum computing is sort > of > >> a return back to analog computing? > >> > >> I recently heard someone make a comment that we're near the end of the > >> "3.3V era" (maybe this was in the recent X16 talk, where some of the > >> challenges of the recent retro-remakes is exploring back to the 5V era > and > >> how it's getting more difficult to find modern-make components that > >> support > >> that). > >> > >> Has no one explored a "tri-state" system? (discrete regions across 5V?) > >> > >> - Steve > >> > >> (v* voidstar tech, not to be confused with voidstar labs) > >> > > >
