Not completely on topic, but my boss wishes to build a
computer using
modern knowledge, but only materials, IO etc that existed as at 1st
Jan 1900. The basic premise is that had a need existed, and they
knew how to make one, could have it been done.
[W]e have fairly quickly identified that magnetic
logic is the only
likely candidate.
Why?
What is preventing the use of vacuum tubes, or even transistors? 1900
had the facilities to build vacuum tubes sufficient for logic, had
anyone known to try - and in fact someone did, just a few years later.
I suspect 1900 probably had the facilities to build basic transistors
(point-contact transistors aren't all that tough). It certainly had
the ability to bootstrap shops that could make transistors; how much
tools-to-build-the-tools is acceptable?
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