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Hydraulic Analog Computer From 1949

Posted by Soulskill on from the upper-decker dept.

mbone writes "In the New York Times, there is an interesting story about a hydraulic analog computer from 1949 used to model the feedback loops in the economy. According to the article, 'copies of the 'Moniac,' as it became known in the United States, were built and sold to Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Ford Motor Company and the Central Bank of Guatemala, among others.' There is a cool video of the computer in operation at Cambridge University. I remember that the Instrumentation Lab at MIT still had an analog computer in its computer center in the mid-1970s. Even then, it seemed archaic, and now this form of computation is largely forgotten. With 14 machines built, it must have been one of the more successful analog computers — a supercomputer of its day. Of course, you have to wonder if it could have been used to predict our current economic difficulties."

8 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Perhaps it used the wrong working fluid by OolimPhon · · Score: 4, Funny

    It might have been more successful if they had used beer instead of water...

  2. Re:Explosives factories by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Some explosives factories still use hydraulics, steam or vacuum for process control. Although it tends to be digital now, with valves used as flip-flops.

    Furthermore, the factory itself can be considered as a digital information storage system.

    The problem is returning to the current state after it flips to the other one.

  3. Memory Leak by SubjectiveObjection · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Johnny, there's another damn memory leak! Bring the bucket!"

  4. If we would have stayed with this technology... by sootman · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... the Internet truly would be a series of tubes.

    Also, little known fact: Gordon Moore's father was a mechanical engineer who predicted that the size of hydraulic valves would shrink 50% every 18 months.

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  5. Hydraulic Computers by thethibs · · Score: 4, Funny

    Which gave rise to one of the oldest computer jokes: "If it doesn't work, piss on it."

    --
    I'm a Programmer. That's one level above Software Engineer and one level below Engineer.
  6. Yep by madnis · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shows that our economy is down the drain.

  7. Re:Computers can't model macroeconomics by zindorsky · · Score: 5, Funny

    What they don't realise is that motorists are more intelligent than water particles.

    Says you.

    --
    If the geiger counter does not click, the coffee, she is not thick.
  8. obvious... by FalloP · · Score: 4, Funny

    now i truly understand a buffer overflow, and the implications of a memory leak are clear.