Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Why Computers should work only on 0 and 1 ?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
M. Nachiappan View Drop Down
Consul
Consul

suspended

Joined: 09-Jun-2006
Location: India
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 315
  Quote M. Nachiappan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Why Computers should work only on 0 and 1 ?
    Posted: 05-Dec-2006 at 04:03
Everybody knows that Computers work only on 0 and 1.
 
But, why ?
 
0 and 1, no or yes, low / high voltage / current, off and on etc., all are OK, but why the soecific choice these binary numbers - 0 and 1?
 
Can any one throw light on it?
Back to Top
Paul View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
AE Immoderator

Joined: 21-Aug-2004
Location: Hyperborea
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 952
  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Dec-2006 at 05:52
to symbolise off and on, 0 = no power, 1 = full power, perhaps.
Light blue touch paper and stand well back

http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk

http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk
Back to Top
Cywr View Drop Down
King
King
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6003
  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Dec-2006 at 09:38
Nowadays its positive and negative.
Its because its a base two system (binary), so only the first two numbers are used, 0 and 1. Binary was written about and used long before we had circuitry, IIRC Leibnitz was the first to write about it in terms of 0s and 1s back in the 1600s. Though ultimatly it would be boolian algrebra that proved the worth of a binary system in electrical switching circuits. At least, IIRC.
Arrrgh!!"
Back to Top
Mortaza View Drop Down
Tsar
Tsar
Avatar

Joined: 21-Jul-2005
Location: Turkey
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3711
  Quote Mortaza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Dec-2006 at 09:55
I think computers dont have any idea about maybe?So It is yes or no?
Back to Top
Cywr View Drop Down
King
King
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6003
  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Dec-2006 at 13:30
I think computers dont have any idea about maybe?So It is yes or no?


Quantum computers do ;)
Arrrgh!!"
Back to Top
M. Nachiappan View Drop Down
Consul
Consul

suspended

Joined: 09-Jun-2006
Location: India
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 315
  Quote M. Nachiappan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Dec-2006 at 02:57
Paul: to symbolise off and on, 0 = no power, 1 = full power, perhaps.
 
I already mentioned, it is covered under on / off.
 
cywr: Nowadays its positive and negative.
Its because its a base two system (binary), so only the first two numbers are used, 0 and 1. Binary was written about and used long before we had circuitry, IIRC Leibnitz was the first to write about it in terms of 0s and 1s back in the 1600s. Though ultimatly it would be boolian algrebra that proved the worth of a binary system in electrical switching circuits. At least, IIRC.
 
Kindly specify, when "Leibnitz was the first to write about it in terms of 0s and 1s back in the 1600s"? It is very interesting!!
 
Mortaza: I think computers dont have any idea about maybe?So It is yes or no?
 
Computers are man-made machines, it cannot think.
 
I request, cywr to clarify as to how "Quantum computers" have idea?
 
Anyway, again coming to the point - there are two states:
 
1. the state non-existence and
2. the state of existence.
 
If these two states are not conceived, perceived and understood, man could not have invented 0 and made 0 and 1 to use for computers to work.

Back to Top
Cywr View Drop Down
King
King
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6003
  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Dec-2006 at 03:27
People had been playing with the notion of binary for, well since ancient times i beleive (various divination systems used it, hell still use it i guess), though its so contrary to the natural human way of thinking (try converting 64 bit addressing from binary to denary and back again, in your head, with no pen and paper, it takes ages and its no fun, and i thought 32 bit was bad), that not alot came of it on the mathmatical application front.

Leibnitz wrote of the notion sometime in the 1600s ( a treatese of sorts IIRC) and specificly used a '1' and a '0' and thus is often credited with the modern invention of the binary system used in computers, though really that has more to do with boolian algebra which actualy made use of a binary system in a way that computers would later use.
I don't know alot about Leibnitz (other than that he also discovered some calculus stuff indipendantly of Newton), i just know the above from my limited knowledge of computing.

Quantum is, well quantum, and tends to hurt your brain when you dwell on it to much. But the essence of quantum computing is that, as well as a '0' and a '1', you can have a '1 and 0', a '1 or 0', or even 'somewhere between 1 and 0'.
Basicly i think it allows an individual bit (or qubit as its called - quantum bit) to be a complex number as opposed to a mere real number. Or something.

In theory a serious quantum computer will be able to make computations of a much higher order and at much greater speeds than the 'classical' computers we use today, though it will be a few years yet before most of us ever get to even see one, let alone use one (though thats unlikely either, they are more for serious number crunching, than brwosing the internet or whatever).


Arrrgh!!"
Back to Top
M. Nachiappan View Drop Down
Consul
Consul

suspended

Joined: 09-Jun-2006
Location: India
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 315
  Quote M. Nachiappan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Dec-2006 at 04:37

How the Quantum Computers differentiate between the states of existence and non-existence?

Newton had a fight with Leibniz about the invention of Calculus.

The quantum concept of 0 and 1 is interesting, but kindly clariy as to "0 approaching 1" and "1 approaching 0" are one and they same, when both values fall within "0 and 1"?

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.