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Looking Back at 1984 Report On "Radical Computing"

Posted by timothy on from the remote-viewing-next-big-thing dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Department of Defense has just released a long restricted report (PDF) by the JASON group entitled Radical Computing. This 1984 study outlines a number of alternate computing methods that could 'result in a radical improvement in computing.' The study attempts to explain the paradox of how the Russian lag in developing VLSI chips curiously did not critically hinder their accomplishments in space missions, ICBMs and chess computation. The authors speculate that the Russians might have achieved breakthroughs in alternative computing methods such as residue arithmetic and symbolic computing. (More cynical types assume the Russians bought or stole US chips from the French or other too-helpful go-betweens.)" "The paper, published by the Government Attic website, also mentions how, eventually, highly parallel computers could make use of these alternative computational methods. Also discussed are such things as functional programming, interval arithmetic, recursive machines, multiple processor concurrency, fast recurrence evaluation, DDA machines, data-flow, and hyper-column cortex model. Which of these ideas ever came to fruition?"

5 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. In Soviet Russia... by bobdotorg · · Score: 3, Funny

    Umm. Crap.

    I've got nothing.

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    __ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
    1. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      In soviet russia.. Radicals compute you!

    2. Re:In Soviet Russia... by bertoelcon · · Score: 2, Funny

      In Soviet Russia nothing got you!

      --
      Anything can be found funny, from a certain point of view.
  2. Well, that's the Pentagon for you.. by Valdrax · · Score: 4, Funny

    The authors speculate that the Russians might have achieved breakthroughs in alternative computing methods such as residue arithmetic and symbolic computing.

    Never propose a simple solution when exotic, impractical sounding one will do instead.

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    If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
  3. Re:Clones DEC was very popular too by coaxial · · Score: 2, Funny

    Apparently, he had spent years working on DEC VAX clones in the old Soviet Union.

    That wouldn't happen to be Kremvax would it?