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From: jimj@netcom.com (James H. Jackson)
Subject: Re: Happy Birthday, HAL 9000!
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Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 20:02:08 GMT
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Andrew Crisp (mo036465@nbcc.nb.ca) wrote:
: mat@mole-end.matawan.nj.us wrote:
: > 
: > In article <5btnri$bta@News.Dal.Ca>, af380@chebucto.ns.ca (Norman L. DeForest) writes:
: > > Michael P. Walsh (mp_walsh@pacbell.net) wrote:
: > > [snip]
: > > Semiconductors are quite sensitive to certain types of radiation and
: > > space is filled with radiation.  Vacuum tubes have a problem on Earth of
: > > maintaining their vacuum.  In space you have cubic kilometres of it.
: > >
: > > It is quite possible that, if semiconductor computers were used on space
: > > battleships, one possible weapon would be one that sent out a burst of
: > > radiation that would fry the enemy's computers.  Vacuum tubes are
: > > relatively immune to this kind of damage and might be preferable.  So
: > > what if they take up more space?  You've got LOTS of space around you.
: > > Reliability in battle might be the deciding factor.
: > 
: > Yes, but you lose in propagation delay from module to module.
: > Why do you think they are pushing to get semiconductor features down to
: > the size of a few dozen atoms?
: > 

: It's a good point about an enemy knocking out a warship's computers -- a
: simple electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear device will do it (if the
: pulse can be generated in space), but then, said pulse can be easily
: thwarted by a well-designed warship hull.

: I expect that by the time we reach the point of large wars in space,
: electronics will have been replaced by something else; perhaps
: quantum-based devices, or organic computers, or optronics.  And each may
: have attributes that may make them less (or more) vulnerable to enemy
: interference then semiconductors...

: -- 
: Andrew B. Crisp
: JET 2
: NBCC Moncton
: Part-Time Science Fiction writer

In most any type of space combat there would be debris floating, jetting, 
venting about.  Any of these things would ruin the vacuum tube(less) 
device's use.  Further, with out an envelope the outgasing from amorphous 
components, paint, hot components, etc would wreak havoc on the 
effectiveness of the electron flow between elements of the  vacuum 
tube(less)es.

JimJ . ...___/\________________________________________________________
          Just another speedbump on the information super hiway!!!!!!!!




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