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General Category => Other retro => Topic started by: ComSoft6128 on 16:07, 14 March 21

Title: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: ComSoft6128 on 16:07, 14 March 21
The Antikythera mechanism......


https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/03/scientists-solve-another-piece-of-the-puzzling-antikythera-mechanism/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/03/scientists-solve-another-piece-of-the-puzzling-antikythera-mechanism/)


https://vimeo.com/518734183 (https://vimeo.com/518734183)




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

Title: Re: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: Bryce on 18:27, 14 March 21
Well there was lots between that and the Z80. Konrad Zuse, mechanical computers, analogue computers, the Intel 4004 4-bit processor.

Info and videos to keep you busy for months.

Bryce.
Title: Re: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: ComSoft6128 on 18:38, 14 March 21
Understood ;D


But the real question is...............can you repair it? :D
Title: Re: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: Bryce on 20:05, 14 March 21
Quote from: ComSoft6128 on 18:38, 14 March 21
Understood ;D


But the real question is...............can you repair it? :D

Analogue computer, probably not an issue. Mechanical, I doubt it. I've seen Zuse's machines in real and they are works of art.

Bryce.
Title: Re: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: Skunkfish on 19:09, 19 March 21
So the Greeks got there at least a thousand years before Babbage?  :o
Title: Re: Before the Z80 there was this..........
Post by: VintageAdvantage on 19:25, 19 March 21
Quote from: Skunkfish on 19:09, 19 March 21
So the Greeks got there at least a thousand years before Babbage?  :o
Well, yes and no:
- yes: the Antikythera mechanism probably worked, unlike Babbage's Analytical Engine, which worked on paper only
- no: unlike the Analytical Engine,  the Antikythera mechanism was not programmable (Turing complete) in that sense, but a special purpose computer
- maybe: after all, the Greeks haven't done it at all, Aliens did (ask Erich von Däniken)  :laugh:
Enough with this disinformation and pseudo-science, let the real scientists speak up on this matter:

https://hdclump.com/ancient-aliens-mysterious-devices/ (https://hdclump.com/ancient-aliens-mysterious-devices/)

But seriously - yes, Zuse is (and should be) attributed to building the first *working*, fully programmable (Turing complete) computer. Babbage had the first concept.
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