Post AHPm658Xh5GRAGXpRo by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
 (DIR) More posts by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
 (DIR) Post #AHMYAnezkvYyn5AgQi by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T07:14:59Z
       
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       A physicist is showing their friend the computer scientist a thermos."This thing is so cool: you can pour something hot into it, and no matter how cold it is outside it stays hot".  The friend is duly impressed."But that isn't all: you can pour something *cold* into it, and no matter how hot it is outside it stays cold"!Now the computer scientist is puzzled.  "But how does it know?"
       
 (DIR) Post #AHMvGUOcx1jcVxE42K by tobtobxx@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T11:32:55Z
       
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       @peterbabic ... from the Book "But How Does It Know" by J. Clark Scott.Recommend it, it explains computers from the very ground up in an understandable and easy to follow matter.
       
 (DIR) Post #AHMvO9m7VHlOsMs26K by tobtobxx@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T11:34:36Z
       
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       @peterbabic ... adapted from the Book "But How Does It Know" by J. Clark Scott.Recommend it, it explains computers from the very ground up in an understandable and easy to follow matter.
       
 (DIR) Post #AHMvTh8IuKJTmUt5nc by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T11:36:03Z
       
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       @tobtobxx nice, I just found in on the HN under discussion about using flags in source code
       
 (DIR) Post #AHNFoe5xOa1tWY3cbg by rudolf@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T15:23:40Z
       
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       @peterbabic It doesn't need to know, as it doesn't care :)
       
 (DIR) Post #AHNJlnLOx0Mb9pB4KW by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-13T16:08:21Z
       
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       @rudolf Since you are here :) If you were to "program" such a thermo, how would you make it work like described, without a need for an external switch between hot and a cold state? :)
       
 (DIR) Post #AHPdeXtgN3o8cax8LY by rudolf@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-14T19:00:30Z
       
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       @peterbabic It is an insulator. That means it blocks the thermal connection between inside and outside. The computer equivalent is to cut a connection.
       
 (DIR) Post #AHPm658Xh5GRAGXpRo by peterbabic@fosstodon.org
       2022-03-14T20:35:10Z
       
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       @rudolf Interesting thought. Under cutting the connection in the programming context, I could possibly imagine removing side effects from the function. Is this what you had in mind in the slightest? Note the OP was about using flags in programming, but I did not catch it at the first glance either, so I would love to hear new points of view.