Path: csiph.com!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: ray carter Newsgroups: comp.sys.raspberry-pi Subject: Re: LEGO ideas Date: 22 Dec 2015 15:53:16 GMT Lines: 42 Message-ID: References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: individual.net So4NJgR0LrOccNx9j42wiQnC8MBDuMeeVGPMYFNK4zcbnqyD0q Cancel-Lock: sha1:+kxWZyV3xuvpcFWqRA/dlwTFoA4= User-Agent: Pan/0.139 (Sexual Chocolate; GIT bf56508 git://git.gnome.org/pan2) Xref: csiph.com comp.sys.raspberry-pi:10184 On Tue, 22 Dec 2015 01:02:29 +0000, Martin Gregorie wrote: > On Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:33:29 +0000, ray carter wrote: > >> You may find this proposal for a Lovelace & Babbage LEGO set >> interesting. >> It is also built to house a RPi if one so desires. >> >> https://ideas.lego.com/projects/102740 >> >> If you like it, you might 'support' it - no obligation, but I'd sure >> like to see it register 10000 hits (over 7000 already). > > That is just 3D bullshit to me, regardless of whether it houses an RPi > or not, because AFAICT its merely models a cutesy and very low > resolution external view of what a Babbage engine might have looked > like. > > If the project was to use Lego to let any interested person build a > working mechanical analogue of a Babbage Analytical Engine (or even a > Difference Engine) it would have value, but as it apparently makes no > attempt to do that its just junk. > > NOTE: when it was first completed, the Science Museum used to > demonstrate their Difference Engine in operation. But, now its encased > in a close- fitting glass box it can't be run because there's no space > to turn its crank, let alone input settings or take and read its output. > As there is no published schedule for periodically opening the box and > operating the Engine I conclude that nobody will ever again see it in > operation. Last time I looked, there was no description of The Method of > Differences on which it is based anywhere near it. From this I conclude > that the Science Museum doesn't give a flying fuck whether anybody > should be able to understand how it works and therefore fails utterly to > fulfil its mission of informing and educating the public on this topic. > > This ridiculous Lego project, as it stands, serves to further trivialise > Babbage's work. I'm sorry you're so upset about the concept. I view it as a way to get LEGO to acknowledge that some RPi projects might be worthwhile pursuing as well as a tribute to Babbage and Lovelace. It seems rather impractical to expect them to market a full working model.