21 Jul
2024
21 Jul
'24
4:37 p.m.
On Sat, Jul 20, 2024, 9:08 PM Steve Lewis via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
wrote:
A fair clarification, I realize that I was sort of
mixing two different
topics (and didn't mean to imply it had anything to do with analog
computing).
What I meant was that in the title of the book they use "digital computer"
and I wonder if there was ever a book describing a mechanical "analog
computer" - and what they might even look like.
-Steve
Not retro but when the Goodwill Computer Museum (in Austin) had a
knowledgeable team running it they spun off into the Museum of Computer
Culture and had created a relay computer the RC3. (They did this while at
goodwill but right before the museum got shutdown as it wasn't making the
goodwill owners enough money). Unfortunately now the MCC site is also down
but a nice reference with a running video (it was loud) but impressive can
be found here https://austin.makerfaire.com/maker/entry/709/
There's another relay computer here (I'm not as familiar with) but read
that it was a good amount of information around it, maybe it references an
early book somewhere. http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~harry/Relay/index.html
Confusing myself as I thought about it, what category is a relay computer?
It's electric and I would say mechanical but then not sure if mechanical
can be electric. Is it still analog?
- John