Notes, 9/13

Computer Hardware
   I don't claim to understand how my computers work.  I know more now that I ever have, though, and the subject is more approachable.   I've always thought of computers as similar to motor vehicles in their complexity of parts.  The difference to me is that I grasp the basic mechanics of cars, and have even attempted minor repairs for fun and profit.  PCs, on the other hand, always occupied a place of mystery nested somewhere between unified field theory and Area 51.  Perhaps the basic problem is that everything is so small, and all those tiny soldered circuits seem to be quite busily doing nothing at all.
   I think the layered wiki-explanation is a good approach.  I appreciated the breakdowns and links, and actually feel more confident about dissecting my technology the next time it acts out at me.

Moore's Law
    Moore's law (the exponential growth of computer circuitry every two years) does much to explain the rate of change that has marked the tech field for the past eighty years.  It is remarkable that so many firms have stayed competitive in such a rapidly-changing industry.  The R&D costs of keeping up with the market leaders must be enormous.  Someone told me once that the chip in my phone was about ten times more powerful than the technology that landed man on the moon.  I cannot think of another industry that could support production change at this rate. 
    Practical obsolescence is the most striking part of Moore's law.  When you spend millions of dollars developing materials that will be obsolete in two years, it affects everything from supply chain management (you can't allow for much inventory), marketing, and cost forecasting.

Computer Museum Fun
     This was a great virtual field trip.  The time-line was dry, but engaging and could easily stand alone as a primer in computing history.  I particularly enjoyed  the dis-invention of the computer: no one can prove that they invented it, so the rage at being denied such a fantastic patent can be spread out to multiple claimants.
     I did not know about the earliest advances in the field: the Navy requested a computerized flight simulator during WWII.  Even though those MIT slackers couldn't build one until the 50's, it is interesting that the potential of the "adding machine" was recognized so early (GM wanted to design cars with computers in the 50's).