Mechanical calculator
A binary calculator using only marbles and wood. More information here.
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21 comments posted so far. Login to add a comment.
2 Posted 471 days ago by jwn
That's a little harsh majlo. Sure, it has little practical use, but it would be a great learning tool for Computer Science fundamentals. Seeing an abstract concept (binary math) brought to something physical could ease the learning curve.
4 Posted 471 days ago by dave9191
That is sooooo freaking cool. I wouldnt mind that in my office for the hell of it.
7 Posted 470 days ago by Petra
This thing is AWESOME! Now I understand why 64 bit machines are sooooooooooooooo special.
10 Posted 470 days ago by Aliquantulus (admin)
Where can I buy one?
And to all you fuckers saying this is unpractical, get a fucking degree or get my fries! Your choice.. 
11 Posted 469 days ago by totalheresy
Aliquantulus is right. People who don't understand what this is are flipping burgers and dealing with irate customers. I understand this, I also understand software engineering, and I'm making damn good money too 
13 Posted 469 days ago by spook24
theres a thing called a computer that can do that for you. what year are you living in? 1607? 1558? 5 B.C.?
14 Posted 469 days ago by itsSimple7
This is most likely a model to show people how a computer works. A computer only works in binary, and addition and multiplication are carried out in this manor within the computer in an electronic circuit.
15 Posted 469 days ago by Duuude
Hmmm.
He say's it's an adding machine, but in the end, he has to add numbers together to get to the final answer.
It's an accumulator, not an adding machine. He calls it a "result state" which...
Sure, if you happen to know that all the "bits" to the right of the last bit, are the next bit - 1, then it's easy to know that 11111 = 31. But if you had to add 16 + 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 = (unclear by inspection)
= waste of time.
16 Posted 468 days ago by hellfish
17 Posted 468 days ago by hellfish
It *is* an adding machine, it's just a binary, not decimal one. The number adding he does he does merely to convert the numbers from binary to decimal.
18 Posted 467 days ago by jwn
Once again, I'll say that this is far from useless. It's a great learning tool for young CS students. I can see the calibre of intelligence here isn't what I assumed.
19 Posted 466 days ago by spamcop
Guys, this is really not waste of time.
This is actually how computer works with numbers (yes, in exactly this binary format).
And for jayjay101:
Yes, this model is even for subtraction:
www.helpwithpcs.com/courses/adding-subtracting-binary-numbers.htm
Just use brain and you will understand that.
20 Posted 461 days ago by Noureddin
I could simply use something called. A BRAIN... What are you? Kids? Who the fuck would need this. Plus, Kids got parents and teacher to teach them. Parents would be best(Home schooling)cause pubic school is not worth it. Don't ask why. Take your kid to public school and he will have sex with like 7 girls and will die by drugs. Freaking useless public school.
Anyways, This is pretty useless invention. Everything has a use... but, This is PRETTY f-ing useless. Stupid, retarded, junk, waste of wood, Waste and time to make, etc.
-goes ALL the way to where he lives and punches him and goes allll the way back home-
21 Posted 390 days ago by Kosmology
i'm guessing you never had sex noureddin... how sad...
BTW not everything has a use.. most things don't have a use and of course one of the things without use is people like you who complain about everything and do nothing... just waiting for someone else to screw up...
I pity you for your arrogance... your insecurity... your low self esteem... and your small c**k...
(19 votes)
1 Posted 471 days ago by majlo
useless piece of ****, sorry