Analog vs Digital (was Re: Is Scheme/Lisp somehow more "fundamental" than other languages?)

[SJS]

begin  quoting Darren New as of Wed, Jan 23, 2008 at 07:11:50PM -0800:
> SJS wrote:
> >begin  quoting Darren New as of Wed, Jan 23, 2008 at 05:40:50PM -0800:
> >>Ralph Shumaker wrote:
> >>>Are there general purpose analog computers?  Can they run programs in 
> >>>the sense that digital computers can?
> >>You're thinking with one. ;-)
> >
> >That would be a big "no", then. 
> 
> Sounds like a "yes" to me.

I'm not interpreting "in the sense" in the sense that you seem to be.

>                            You are running a general purpose analog 
> computer, as a brain.

I thought it was pretty specialized, and not general purpose.

>                       It can run programs in the sense that a digital 
> computer can, or you'd have a really hard time writing programs, 
> compilers, and figuring out where your bugs are.  You would be unable to 
> simulate a turing machine with pencil and paper. :-)

Um, I don't do stored programs very well.

Although, it would be way cool.

<voice type="neo">Whoa, I know kung-fu.</voice>

-- 
Once again, the horizon does beckon
To the topic, for thread wreckin'
Stewart Stremler