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Gingerbread Computers!

wiggles writes "Here's a link to what is perhaps the most delicious computer ever. What else are geeks doing differently this Christmas?"

2 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. No obvious reason? by elgatozorbas · · Score: 2, Interesting

    First, crystals are excellent oscillators. If you apply a small enough metal oxide to them, you can also make semiconductors. Sugar makes excellent crystals. I've not tried, but I can't see any obvious reason why you couldn't make a sugar-based transistor.

    Actually, I don't think crystal oscillators are in the critical path of making computers from candy. They offer a high resonant frequency and good enough stability, but you could as well run a PC from an LC-oscillator. Yes, one cycle may be longer than another, but that's not critical.

    You have no obvious reason why you couldn't make a sugar-based transistor? Well transistors are made from semiconducting material. I am no materials specialist, but I highly doublt sugar is a semiconductor. And even if a small FET-operation would be detectable by applying a gate, I doubt it would be capable of amplification - the first requirement for making your crystal oscillator run.

    Moreover, because of the low conductivity I attribute to confectionary, you cannot even make the wiring. Let alone complex circuits. A nice idea, but no-go, as far as I know.

    Z