The eight gigahertz processor chips were now out from several
of the Empire's competing computer manufacturers, so perhaps it was time
for him to start thinking about an upgrade again.<<
I remember our discussions about the tech level of the Empire in the first
incarnation of this fic. Then you mentioned that the Empire just possibly
got help from somewhere. Ok, I can accept that, but isn't this taking
things
just a LITTLE too far? Plus, would the Empire really want to put this kind
of power at its citizens hands?
Nothing important, but interesting to ponder.
More cameos, Kisaragi from Cutey Honey right?
Eight Gigahertz is nothing. Five years development, tops. Consider this :
in March, AMD will release a one gig chip. Intel will follow suit sometime
this summer. So, at most, we're looking at only an eightfold increase in
computing power. Now, look back five years ago : we were still tooling
around with 486's, and first gen Pentium's (if you had the cash). Processor
speeds ran from 33Mhz up to 133Mhz. Easily and eightfold increase in power
since then. To expect the same development in a similar timeframe requires
no great feat of imagination.
And when one considers it, that's PERSONAL computers. Modern supercomputers
easily outpace those he is describing, RIGHT NOW.
Now, it's not unreasonable to expect that there will be some slow-down in
development of computers as we approach the 0.06 Micron barrier, at which
the transistor ceases to function : however, extrapolating current
development rates, we won't even BEGIN to reach that size for another ten
years, and by the time we have done so, we will have experienced a 1000fold
increase in processing power. So, let me say it again, 8 Gig is NOTHING.
Far more suspicous is what he is claiming to be able to do with that level
of technology, but I refuse to address that question, as it falls under the
guideline of 'suspended disbelief' that applies to all sci-fi.
Sorry mods for the spam, as this begins to diverge from discussing the fic,
an into discussing computers in general - I would request that any responses
to this be entirely private - if I see sufficient evidence to warrant a
retraction of the above, I'll make it ... but we don't need another 30
public posts arguing this.