The 2000 year old computer

[zeitghost]

Very interesting programme about the Antikythera Mechanism

Antikythera mechanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

is repeated this evening on BBC4 at 22:25.

Stunned & amazed by the sophistication of the design.

Stunned & amazed at the dedication of the chaps & chapesses who reverse engineered the thing.

Particularly amazed at the custom X-ray machine designed especially for the job.

[doomage]

I thought this was amazing, and humbling in a way. I think someone nearby was involved in it, saw the poster for the show on their car window & door.

Even the aspects of translating the text were incredible. And modelling the elliptical orbit of the moon!

The boffins were classic.

Still, a pretty tulip computer, no USB or Wifi.

[chef]

Couldn't a Raspberry PI do the same thing?

[scooby]

Going to watch it on iPlayer now...

[SupremeSpod]

Hang on a minute...

If that thing was invented 2000 years ago, why the **** did the dark ages happen and why haven't we seen similar items through history?

[oscarose]

Watched it last week and an amazing feat of engineering from the Greeks although I questioned the title of the program.

[oscarose]

Hang on a minute...

If that thing was invented 2000 years ago, why the **** did the dark ages happen and why haven't we seen similar items through history?

Because religion liked to crush science (and still does).

[SupremeSpod]

It's a fair enough title really, since it's a 2000 year old analogue computer.

Computers need not be digital.

http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/C...alog/pace1.jpg

<ZG in "I used to know how to program analogue computers in a former life" mode>

How come it too so long for analog computers that produce tide tables to be developed?

[BolshieBastard]

Hang on a minute...

If that thing was invented 2000 years ago, why the **** did the dark ages happen and why haven't we seen similar items through history?

Er, cos the ancient Greek civilisation collapsed!

No one else picked it up (literally). The ancient Greeks were also close to developing steam power but that was lost for nigh on 2000 years until the industrial revolution came along.

[BolshieBastard]

You don't need steam power if you have enough slaves.

Bit of a generalisation. And you need a lot of space and food to keep plenty of slaves in good enough condition to be worthwhile.