Hardware/doc preservatoion, was Re: rarest computers.

From: Steven N. Hirsch <shirsch_at_adelphia.net>
Date: Sun Aug 8 12:27:44 2004

On Thu, 5 Aug 2004, Paul Koning wrote:

> >>>>> "Steven" == Steven N Hirsch <shirsch_at_adelphia.net> writes:
>
> Steven> On Wed, 4 Aug 2004, ben franchuk wrote:
> >> PS. Years ago in BYTE ( early 1990's? ) they had spoke up of a CPU
> >> designed for reliable operation for real time control of things
> >> like power plants or subways or aircraft. They claimed it was so
> >> simple that programs could be proven to be bug free. I was
> >> wondering if they manufactured or sold any the devices.
>
> Steven> That would be the British "Viper" CPU. Computational theory
> Steven> suggests (proves, perhaps? - it's been a few years) that use
> Steven> of hardware or software stacks renders behavior
> Steven> indeterminate.
>
> Baloney. Anyone who has paid any attention to Dijkstra knows that
> such a statement would have to be complete and utter nonsense.

<shrug> I'm only going by what I recall from the Byte article. Let's not
start a religous war, please?
Received on Sun Aug 08 2004 - 12:27:44 BST