What is the first computer?

From: William Donzelli <william_at_ans.net>
Date: Fri Jun 19 15:30:13 1998

> I merely pointed out that with some tight tolerance cams and levers, you
> have a similar problem - you can't tell by looking. "Difficult" in my
> line above was a euphemism for "no hope"

Oh, OK, that is clearer now.

> True, every word. But if you draw the distinction there - digital vs.
> analogue circuitry - the comment to which I was replying deserves your
> reply as well. The previous poster (wasn't you, William, was it?) drew
> the distinction at a higher level, and said something like "a digital
> _machine_ either works or it doesn't. Apart from video, the results are
> either right or wrong. With analogue/mechanical, things can be slightly
> out but the machine will go on working" Video is another analogue
> subsystem in a digital machine, just like a disk drive, and all that
> that implies...

Yes, but everything is analog, including our favorite CPUs. Remember, you
can get a CMOS 4049 hex buffer to act as a (poor) amplifier!

Video, however, does not output digital results. Digital in, real world
out. Disk drives, when viewed as black boxes, are completely digital.

William Donzelli
william_at_ans.net
Received on Fri Jun 19 1998 - 15:30:13 BST