Difference between revisions of "Mechanical computing"
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=== Turing Machines === | === Turing Machines === | ||
| − | [[File:TuringMachines.jpeg|200px|thumb|left| | + | [[File:TuringMachines.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|Turing Machines]] Turing machines can be made with very low numbers of symbols and states and still be universal. It's been proved that a Turing machine with 3 symbols and 2 states can be capable of universal computation. This is simple enough to be implemented mechanically without having to make thousands of parts (as other mechanical computers have used). |
The price for the simplicity of the machine is terrible code/storage density - this machine needs to execute thousands of cycles to do what a modern machine can do in one cycle. Combine that with a clock speed of about 0.04 Hz and you'll see why this is a fair way from silicon computers. | The price for the simplicity of the machine is terrible code/storage density - this machine needs to execute thousands of cycles to do what a modern machine can do in one cycle. Combine that with a clock speed of about 0.04 Hz and you'll see why this is a fair way from silicon computers. | ||
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Latest revision as of 01:43, 3 October 2012
User:JimM builds mechanical computers. They're incredibly slow, unreliable and almost entirely pointless.
Turing Machines
The price for the simplicity of the machine is terrible code/storage density - this machine needs to execute thousands of cycles to do what a modern machine can do in one cycle. Combine that with a clock speed of about 0.04 Hz and you'll see why this is a fair way from silicon computers.
