[TheForge] Re: Price of steel & scrap

Fri Apr 2 13:03:00 2004

I don't know.  Analog computers are incredably fast, but accurate only
to 3 significant figures (~1%).  What this company made was hybrid
computers, that digitally controlled analog computers, making
programming easy.  (Normally, analog computers are "programmed" with
patch panels - a real electronic circuit.)
I always felt that a hybrid-hybrid computer was in order:  Minimal
digital programming (to change conditions for simulations), with a patch
panel for the bulk of the programming - all of which would connect to an
expansion port of a personal computer.
As digital computers get faster, the need for analog computers
decreases.  However, digital computers will probably never equal the
speed of analog.
Bruce

>>> [email protected] 4/2/2004 12:12:18 PM >>>
In a message dated 4/2/2004 8:54:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
[email protected] writes:
I think we have quite a capacity for
rebounding from the nonsense the bean-counters lead us into.  Takes
common sense, though.  Think of it as a business opportunity...
I'm curious, Bruce...is there currently a market for analog computers?

Philip Whitley