21 Feb
2009
21 Feb
'09
7:54 p.m.
>> You cannot find a better classic computer than
this.
I'm not convinced it is an analog computer.
Marchant addresses this in her book. She sought the opinion of Doron Swade,
who built the replica Babbage machine and wrote his book "The Cogwheel
Brain" about it. Doron said he DOES consider the A.D. to be a computer.
But he, Sellam, and I traded a few emails on this subject, and we three all
agree it's open to debate. In my opinion, it comes down to the question of
input / variables. Otehr than how much its operator turns the crank, the
A.D. does not have any variable input. So I say it's not actually
"computing" anything because no matter what you do, its output is fixed.