> >Well, maybe for the same reason they stopped
> >using an abacus for everything and developed
> >symbolic algebra?
>
> Point taken. But whenever I program these
> machines, I feel like I'm stuck back in the days
> of using an abacus.
Well, "they" did stop using the "abacus for everything" but there are
situations where the abacus will outperform computers and so it's still used
seriously, especially in (I believe) some banks in Asia. I'd like to know
how those are operated, if I understand it correctly the way the symbols
(beats in this case) are manipulated to input the question is also the way
the calculation itself is performed leading to a speed increase compared to
typing into a computer and reading back the answer?
I find that a rather interesting angle on the link between symbols and
operations on them but it may be entirely tangential to your debate?
Personally I like text well enough but I also have a small toy abacus I keep
next to my computers. It's surprising how often those come in handy. I think
Nescivi has one as well.
Yours,
Kas.
Received on Fri Jan 04 2008 - 14:56:44 GMT