Programming?

The JAM · Post by **The JAM** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:23 pm

[...unWARP!!!]

Good evening.

It may seem that the Rac Conians don't know the term "programming" yet, if they don't know how to control the output of the sword.

However, as I was commuting home today (I tend to come up with crazy ideas then) I realised something:

Those of you who have or who used to live in 2 story homes very likely have seen the pair of light switches at the top and the bottom of the stairs. If the light is off, either switch, regardless of position, will turn it on when it is turned. Once it is on, either switch will turn it off when turned, again regardless of position. I'm not sure what kind of "logic gate" that is, but I'm quite sure that it IS a logic gate (can anyone tell me what it is?)

The thing is: Rac Conians, with multiple story houses, would very likely have those switch pairs. If so, then they apparently KNOW the most basic of the basic of the basic forms of "programming". True, you only have two "inputs" and one "output", and naturally you won't be able to run your garage door opener without some fancy re-wiring, but the basic concept of progamming is THERE. (I hope)

Hence....it is my theory that the sword CAN be controlled, and the spell output CAN be regulated, perhaps not through voice commands, but regulated nonetheless.

The function format nnn(0) apparently is not in use within the sword, or at least, not as how I can see it. Or, they are laid out linearly, as Kestrel explained. Maybe the Time(0) function is also randomised?

Kerry Skydancer · Post by **Kerry Skydancer** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:35 pm

It's not really a logic gate, since it's actually two parallel power feeds; but the behavior is that of a NOR gate. Activates when both inputs match, whether they're plus or minus.

BlasTech · Post by **BlasTech** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:40 pm

grah, i did the circuit diagram for that in physics last year and i can never remember what it looks like >.>

Anthony Lion · Post by **Anthony Lion** » Wed May 04, 2005 12:38 am

It's two 'V' shaped switches.

The switches are connected so that the 'branches' are connected to each other with two wires, the AC goes in at the 'bottom' of one V, then out at the 'bottom' of the other if both switches are in the correct position, to the lamp and out.

If you want another switch in there you need to add an 'X' shaped one in the middle. (It switches from 'straight through' to 'crossed' depending on position)

I could draw them, but... I suck at drawing...

BlasTech · Post by **BlasTech** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:04 am

i was going to try drawing something like that but the text box doesnt appreciate my ascii art

Arctyc · Post by **Arctyc** » Wed May 04, 2005 2:38 am

If you were to go from a programming perspective, as explained the sword's behavior doesn't make much sense anyway... computers don't function off of a single input. They're layered constructs that activate off of many inputs, some of which are cumulative results of prior inputs.

( See bootstrapping for an example. )

Much of what modern computation is capable of is due to the existence of the Latch circuitry structure, giving rise to the Register structure, which allows for Serial data input to create complex Parallel input on other structures.

And speaking of serial... the key to the basic Register block is the Clock input. With only logical inputs, there is little way for the serial storage mechanism to occur.

The light switch thing is a logical system, wherein the status of the light is and XOR of the switches (both down, off. flip one, on, flip the other, off again. Light is only on if the positions don't match).