How does a computer work?

[Joakim Christiansen]

Nah, I wasn't wondering!

I just thought I would share these nice videos giving an insight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNN_tTXABUA (CPU, registers and busses)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBDoT8o4q00 (ALU)

Anyone else know about other videos?

[yoxola]

I love know-how movies:

What happens inside a Popcorn Bag in a Microwave?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2FkJuO ... 64_YhxQWHA

[applePi]

good videos but they can make it even easier: look how the actress Meg Ryan explain the complex mathematical puzzle called "Zeno's Paradox" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuftF3ZnMZM
also the yoxola popcorn video are great.

[applePi]

i find this usefull "How to Make a Microprocessor" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHAso1yM-D4 the professor was able to project the initials of a volunteer onto a grain of rice.
also i may try this someday "Making your own 4 bit computer from transistors" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xISG4nGTQYE since the parts are easy to obtain.

[tj1010]

You need solid state memory to make practical computers(caches, microcode PROM etc), then complex chemistry and expensive equipment to manufacture designs at nano-scale. If it was even remotely practical there wouldn't be a global cartel economy around chip manufacturing..

[Joakim Christiansen]

If it was even remotely practical there wouldn't be a global cartel economy around chip manufacturing..

My prediction is that anyone will soon be able to upload a "chip schematic" and order a custom microchip. People are already designing their own CPUs on FPGAs and in logic simulators, even in Minecraft.

[tj1010]

If it was even remotely practical there wouldn't be a global cartel economy around chip manufacturing..

My prediction is that anyone will soon be able to upload a "chip schematic" and order a custom microchip. People are already designing their own CPUs on FPGAs and in logic simulators, even in Minecraft.

There will probably be steep bulk requirements even when that happens(ex: $1,500:20u). Then you have PCB issues; BGA stuff screws up even with precision manufacturing environments, and SMD mass production isn't feasible by hand.

I might be more of a believer when I see precision SMD production by 3D printers and cheap robotics. But right now those are mostly used for cheap toys and blog revenue..

[Danilo]

Just take a real rat brain and put it into a machine/robot.
- Robot with a biological brain
- Robot with a rat brain
- Discovery Channel: Next World - Future Intelligence-5/5
- Robo Rat - The Brain/Machine Interface
- rat brain robot

[applePi]

i have searched for ( 3d printer print electronics ), and surprised that the subject are advanced so much and not restricted to printing 3D toys
look as an example this new company with about 7 employees for rapid 3D printing of circuit boards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... P2dPRohaWk (a tour inside the company)
https://www.facebook.com/CartesianCompany
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ca ... uit-boards

another company "AgIC Print - Printing circuit boards with home printers"
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/15 ... home-print

printing a complete working speaker:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... lectronic/

so it is not far the day when we order a custom pc and asus/hp/lenovo etc send it as a downloadable file, then we send this to a public place (near the public washing machine) to print the new pc on a special paper, then we fit this inside our desktop/laptop case frame which we already have . may be Intel begins from now to develop such paper cpu