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Old 01-12-2013, 10:46 AM   #21
jeff_wilson
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Default Re: [Worldbuilding] Divergent, retro and other 'not of this world' Computers and Soft

Harmonic Oscillation Ordinator

This is a colossal scale difference engine contained in a hexagonal prism of transparent neutronium. When simple harmonic motion is applied, passing gravity waves are trapped and reflected between the upper and lower hexagons where they can be used to expand the interior into virtual spaces when the neutron flow is halted and reversed.

These reflections would be identical and thus redundant except for the further application of lateral rotation whose frame dragging and prevents the six vertical sides from forming a regular enclosed Euclidean path. The discrepancy allows the virtual space to be populated with non-identical component gears and cams of virtual matter, providing computing power limited only by the gravity wave energy previously collected.

To best exploit this property, HOOs are often used to direct relative dimension controllers to safely contain gravitational collapse apertures within transcendental architectures, though this typically results in an effective wave-gathering size of 1%. This does allow for use on personal vehicles which can then be periodically re-energized at suitable collapsing venues.
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Old 01-12-2013, 12:07 PM   #22
johndallman
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Default Re: [Worldbuilding] Divergent, retro and other 'not of this world' Computers and Soft

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Originally Posted by jeff_wilson View Post
This is a colossal scale difference engine contained in a hexagonal prism of transparent neutronium.
That sentence applies a definite smack upside the head at its last word!
Quote:
To best exploit this property, HOOs are often used to direct relative dimension controllers to safely contain gravitational collapse apertures ...
In a different space-opera technology system, I found the Dimensional Formatter had a nicely understated menacing tone.
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Old 01-13-2013, 12:23 AM   #23
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Default Re: [Worldbuilding] Divergent, retro and other 'not of this world' Computers and Soft

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Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen View Post
Don't vacuum tubes burn out and need to be replaced?
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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
Yes, but this mostly happens at power-on. Powering off and on is hard on electronics in general, but the effect is much larger for vacuum tubes. They also use a lot more power, mostly for the heaters that allow them to work, and these two things together make portable equipment hard.
It's worth noting that, for commercial tube amplifiers for performance halls, it's cheaper to leave them on for 12hours unused than to turn them off and restart them. Large tubes can draw 10-20 times their operational power during warmup, and for large tube amps, warm up can take well over an hour before finally leveling off at working temp. My tiny 3-tube Fender takes 30 minutes to warm up. 45 if it's been in the car. (But nothing sounds quite like the distortion of a tube amp and an electric guitar.)
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Old 01-19-2013, 12:15 AM   #24
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Default Re: [Worldbuilding] Divergent, retro and other 'not of this world' Computers and Soft

This blog entry has some discussion of the possibilities of a divergent internet-
http://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/01/why-...-the-internet/
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Old 01-29-2013, 01:48 AM   #25
Luke Bunyip
 
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Default Re: [Worldbuilding] Divergent, retro and other 'not of this world' Computers and Soft

How about a TL4 computer which is an entire building, full of clerks and mathematicians. This in turn is linked via a semaphore network to other cities, and their computational centres.
Read it in an obscure Australian Sci Fi book. Peddle powered trains, librarians dueling with matchlock pistols, AND a scaled up 'computer'.
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