[oclug] KWeather

[Richard Guy Briggs]

On Sun, Mar 20, 2005 at 11:11:30PM -0500, Frank Stratton - VE3YY wrote:
> This is a true story!
> At one time believe it or not, a computer manufacturer I worked for, was
> looking into having a piece of memory represent three states, zero, one and
> not (zero or one). Memory was so expensive when I was first around computers
> that it made sense.  Basically it would have been the ternary system.  0, 1,
> 2.  So two bits could be combined to represent 6 states instead of four.
> Arithmetic got a little hairy. So you had to revert to the standard binary
> system.  However computer commands could use the not 0 or 1 as modifiers.
> It meant that a computer would have more commands with less logic.

So, what would have happenned if we had evolved with 2 fingers and a
thumb on each of 3 limbs, or 9 limbs?  ;-)

> They set one fellow off to see if he could design a computer system to use
> this numbering system.  The company went belly up before he completed the
> project.  I believe this was a fitting end to the idea because I think they
> were going to send him to the funny farm.  I've often wondered what would
> have happened if he had succeeded.
> 
> I guess we would have continued that until we had multiple states like not
> zero but close and not one but pretty close.  Maybe computers would have
> then been able to decide between Frosted flakes and Puffed Wheat in the
> morning.

We might even have AI by now!

> Cheers,
> Frank
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oclug-bounces at lists.oclug.on.ca
> [mailto:oclug-bounces at lists.oclug.on.ca]On Behalf Of Patrick Smith
> Sent: March 20, 2005 9:42 PM
> To: General Membership Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [oclug] KWeather
> 
> 
> >>[GR]  But why does it make sense to count in hexadecimal?
> >
> > Repeatedly multiplying or dividing by two keeps the same number of
> > significant digits.
> 
> That's true in binary, not in hexadecimal.  E.g. 2 times F is 1E.
> 
> Anybody for duodecimal (dozens, gross)?  :-)

	slainte mhath, RGB
	GPC Listmaster

-- 
Richard Guy Briggs               --    ~\             Auto-Free Ottawa! Canada
<www.TriColour.net>                --    \@       @       <www.flora.org/afo/>
No Internet Wiretapping!            --   _\\/\%___\\/\%    Vote! -- <Green.ca>
<www.OpenSWAN.org>___________GTVS6#790__(*)_______(*)(*)___<www.Marillion.com>