Robots again

From: lisard_at_zetnet.co.uk <(lisard_at_zetnet.co.uk)>
Date: Wed Mar 18 14:19:45 1998

lawrence wilkinson:
   :But a digital computer can represent rational numbers exactly as you
   :have (e.g. Smalltalk has a rational data type which behaves just
   :like any other number) but irrational numbers cause problems. But
   :then can an analogue machine represent irrational numbers exactly?

probably not, but even if it could, how would you measure it to
verify..? the strength of analogue is that it can vary smoothly, so the
errors are different in character. sometimes digital is preferable.
sometimes analogue is.
--
Communa (together) we remember...             we'll see you falling
you know soft spoken changes nothing             to sing within her...
Received on Wed Mar 18 1998 - 14:19:45 GMT

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