325
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 70 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

I could probably build a computer from scratch, but it's not gonna be a modern one with impossibly small microchips and bajillions of transistors. It's gonna be a room-sized behemoth with only like 8bits of memory that takes 24 hours to compute 1+1.

[-] TheFerrango@lemmings.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Reject modern devices, true computers require large rooms and the output of a small NPP to operate

[-] AngryPancake@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

If you only care about adding numbers, you can e.g. do that using water or marbles. You only need to build an XOR gate, an AND gate and an OR gate.

In case of water, the gate will have two inputs as water streams. They should be aligned so that when the streams hit each other, the water will flow into a cup in the center of the apparatus. When the streams don't hit each other, the water passes the first cup and flows into another cup on the bottom. Carrying the water out at the bottom is the XOR gate, carrying the water out at the center is the AND gate and both cups together are the OR gate.

Then it's just about setting up the circuit and that would be a full adder without electronics.

[-] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 10 points 13 hours ago

Check out Ben Eater on YouTube.

[-] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 6 points 7 hours ago

Or Steve Mould, who made a processor calculation using water for demonstration purposes.

https://piped.video/watch?v=IxXaizglscw

[-] paddirn@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago

I’m hoping the guy from Primitive Technology will eventually work his way up to that at some point.

[-] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

They're playing one of those games where you crash on a planet and go from rock to bow and arrow to quantum phase disruptors, but for real.

[-] weker01@sh.itjust.works 0 points 8 hours ago

He uses a microcontroller though for his breadboard PC. A microcontroller that is built in a fab.

[-] technohacker@programming.dev 2 points 7 hours ago

That's the 6502 one you're talking about though, what about the previous one (granted it still used a bunch of ICs, but not a microcontroller per se)

[-] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

I was going to ask that disclaimer, but it's also a step closer and interesting nonetheless.

I'd also recommend Breaking Taps, while he does amazing stuff in a home lab it also has the disclaimer that he's able to get it already has some super interesting but rare stuff. Electron microscope etc.

I thought I saw someone making homemade, low power processors but for the life of me I can't remember who or where.

[-] notthebees@reddthat.com 1 points 7 hours ago

Sam Zeloof did it.

[-] Gullible@sh.itjust.works 14 points 16 hours ago

Sounds like something an alien would say, which is just what you want me to think!

[-] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 9 points 16 hours ago

You'd make Charles Babbage very smug with that kind of talk

this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2024
325 points (97.7% liked)

Greentext

4023 readers
1243 users here now

This is a place to share greentexts and witness the confounding life of Anon. If you're new to the Greentext community, think of it as a sort of zoo with Anon as the main attraction.

Be warned:

If you find yourself getting angry (or god forbid, agreeing) with something Anon has said, you might be doing it wrong.

founded 11 months ago
MODERATORS