[HN Gopher] The Computational Expressiveness of a Model Train Se...
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       The Computational Expressiveness of a Model Train Set: A Paperlet
        
       Author : feross
       Score  : 22 points
       Date   : 2021-04-05 04:48 UTC (1 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.scottaaronson.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.scottaaronson.com)
        
       | Imnimo wrote:
       | The use of the little plastic flippers to control the junctions
       | reminds me a lot of the Dr. Nim toy:
       | 
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Nim
       | 
       | It uses similar flippers to operate a marble-driven computer to
       | play Nim.
        
       | monocasa wrote:
       | Reminds me a lot of "Railway Oriented Programming", part of the
       | great F# tutorial, trying to cover concepts like option types.
       | 
       | https://fsharpforfunandprofit.com/rop/
        
       | reaperducer wrote:
       | It's a shame that more technically-minded people aren't into
       | model trains anymore. They're a great way to try to figure out
       | logic problems using real world items.
       | 
       | It's my recollection that the very very very first computer
       | hackers were members of the MIT model railroading club, because
       | they understood electric circuits.
        
         | jagged-chisel wrote:
         | Traditionally, they require _so much_ space. My computer can be
         | palm-sized, or lap sized ... even the ones best left under the
         | desk don't require large percentages of household rooms or a
         | workshop.
        
         | CaliLonghair wrote:
         | Very true and an interesting history as well.
         | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_Model_Railroad_Club
         | 
         | As mentioned in the wikipedia article, the Steven Levy
         | "Hackers" book has a great chapter on those early days.
         | 
         | See also the Jargon File entry:
         | 
         | http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/T/TMRC.html
        
         | monocasa wrote:
         | Yeah, it's such a fundamental piece of computing history. For
         | instance the the MIT railway club is the origin of the
         | computing terms "hack", "foo", "mung", "cruft", and using
         | "orfice" instead of 'office'.
        
         | neolog wrote:
         | > They're a great way to try to figure out logic problems using
         | real world items.
         | 
         | What are the advantages over using a computer?
        
           | diplodocusaur wrote:
           | You could simulate these if you wanted
           | 
           | does it take more time to code it or to use blocks and pieces
           | of paper?
           | 
           | https://www.transum.org/Software/Shunting/Puzzles.asp
        
           | chris_st wrote:
           | Observability, for one. In the article, the author talks
           | about the Y-junction that has a flag that directs the train,
           | and the train flips it in some cases, and not in others.
           | Being able to see exactly what happens the moment it happens
           | is just immediately comprehendible... there's no "hidden
           | state"; so if it does something unexpected, you can see the
           | whole situation.
        
             | neolog wrote:
             | That's cool. Reminds me of https://ivanish.ca/hest-time-
             | travel/
        
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       (page generated 2021-04-06 23:01 UTC)