Slashdot Mirror
Workings of Ancient Calculating Device Deciphered
palegray.net writes "Scientists have discovered new meaning behind the functions of the Antikythera Mechanism, which has been referred to as the oldest known analog computing device. In addition to providing a means to calculate the dates for solar eclipses, the device apparently tracked the four-year cycles of the Olympiad. From the New York Times article: 'Only now, applying high-resolution imaging systems and three-dimensional X-ray tomography, have experts been able to decipher inscriptions and reconstruct functions of the bronze gears on the mechanism. The latest research has revealed details of dials on the instrument's back side, including the names of all 12 months of an ancient calendar.'"
when they found it, it was flashing 12.
... also the first known example of "feature creep"
I'm imagining Beowulf imagining a Beowulf cluster of these things.
I, for one, welcome our new analog computing overlor...
What do you mean, "They're dead"?
Life is short; think quickly.
Isn't this the eighth or ninth time this year that they've "discovered" the inner workings of this damn thing?
It's hard to say. They're also using the device to keep count... They think.
Those who believe the Internet is private,
find their privates are on the Internet.
But some idiot lost the boot cog and it won't work with any known version of GRUB, LILO, SYSLINUX or LOADLIN :(
Historians speculate that if someone could get it to boot up, it would run faster than a modern PC running Vista!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
With your bronze gears and such tomfoolery. Back in my day we sisn't even have abacuses. We had to count everything by hand, do the math in our heads, and remember it!
Now get off my lawn, and take your newfangled gizmo with you!
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
Don't let the patent trolls know any of this. I am sure they each have ten patents on the operation of this device.
Okay, it computes dates. So does it also end on December 21, 2012?
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
Me too. And the first thing I'd do is turn it upside down and try to spell BOOBIES.
The Church Father known as "Pillar of Faith" who had Hypatia killed was the same man who had Mary mother of Jesus proclaimed as an "eternal virgin".
Eternal virgin? If that was true, then to heck with this "saint Mary" stuff... Joseph was more of a saint than she was!
Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
Maybe this is the true origin of the term Beowulf cluster. Beowulf, being the jock/bully, would see a nerd playing with his calculator and give him hell. The nerds responded by clustering together for protection and inadvertently discovered greater computing power.
I predicted these very first two posts. Ahhhh Slashdot, how your constant familiarities of Beowulf clusters, Linux, Soviet Union, Goatse and frosty pissers never tend to cease!
You must not be new here...
I think you've mistaken the ancient Greeks for the Crab People. That's ok. It's a common mistake.
If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb