When mechanical analog computers ruled the waves (2014)(arstechnica.com) |
When mechanical analog computers ruled the waves (2014)(arstechnica.com) |
A few interesting things he points out:
-Throughout his career nothing has had the longevity of these mechanical devices. As late as the 2000s he had projects replacing mechanical relays installed in the 30s. Digital becomes obsolete and needs replacement in ten years when the manufacturer stops support.
-If a Turing machine can be implemented as an electrical circuit, and an digital computer is, ultimately, an analog circuit; then an analog circuit can do at least as much as a digital can. It's just impossibly more difficult to do.
I mean the Iowa computers were on combat duty until the 80s.
(it's "Basic Mechanisms in Fire Control Computers" parts 1 and 2, from 1953)