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Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

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Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#141

Post by enchiridion »

freeqaz wrote: post #139
judge2020 wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The machines on brand new gas stations and self-checkouts are much faster [also support mobile payment], but performing upgrades to older systems usually isn't worth the cost since they're only at max. throughput for a few hours every week, if that.

The new ones play video ads and (some at least) have audio that you can't disable too (spotted in New Mexico). Truly baffling! Hopefully not all of the machines are that bad. I wish that common point-of-sale interfaces focused on simplicity and ease of use (especially accessibility). Maybe one day!

Some of the unmarked buttons on those machines will mute the ads. Depends on the model.

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#142

Post by wbl »

markshiz wrote: post #102

Yes, and the firmware for the USB-C wasn't sewn by hand into the plug (core rope memory). They did this for reliability purposes. It's amazing the craftsmanship that went into much of that rocket by people of all walks of life. http://www.righto.com/2019/07/software-woven-into-wire-core-... Here's another great article on the hand-welds on the F1. In only a short amount of time we've outsourced so much of these produ…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zotaRLROtw "Many stones can form an arch, singly none, singly none". This is one the first songs I learned to perform, along with Somebody Will.

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#143

Post by stevenwoo »

xp84 wrote: post #114

I'd like to also see an article examining these computing power attributes on the piece of garbage embedded computer on the front of the gas pumps where the lag between registering every keypress is like 800ms, and every screen redraw takes about 2000ms. It takes me an extra 60 seconds to get gas now thanks to how slow these things are, and it is nearly universal despite whether they appear to be 20 year old or new d…

I’ve seen a few with the Windows BSOD but not enough info to figure out what’s otherwise going on.

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#144

Post by iancmceachern »

kumarvvr wrote: post #127
kraig911 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they run slower the hotter or colder it is outside.

But why? It's not like running at 20 MHz is going to produce an exponential amount of heat in the processor. I mean, an ESP32 module runs at about 160 MHz, and using it with a capacitive touch screen almost as smooth as in a mobile.

I think that at least in some cases it has more to do with the LCD displays refresh rate and its response to cold temperatures. "As the liquid in the display freezes the response time slows down. In other words, it takes longer for the numbers and letters on the display to change (Turn ON or Turn OFF)."

Reference: https://focuslcds.com/journals/what-happens-to-the-lcd-in-co...

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#145

Post by dang »

plapetomain wrote: post #133
flatiron wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Question was could it do it which it can’t. But yeah you could use the Apollo for controller IO and put the rest on a raspberry pi but that kinda defeats the purpose.

But the data width is the least of concerns anyway. You should realize a 15 bit computer can compute everything a 32 bit can? The bigger problems are more pedestrian like complete lack of suitable IO.

Could you please stop creating accounts for every few comments you post? We ban accounts that do that. This is in the site guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.

HN is a community and we want it to remain one. For that, users need some identity for others to relate to. Otherwise we may as well have no usernames and no community, and that would be a different kind of forum. https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme...

You needn't use your real name, of course.

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#146

Post by Goz3rr »

kumarvvr wrote: post #126
xp84 wrote: post #114

I'd like to also see an article examining these computing power attributes on the piece of garbage embedded computer on the front of the gas pumps where the lag between registering every keypress is like 800ms, and every screen redraw takes about 2000ms. It takes me an extra 60 seconds to get gas now thanks to how slow these things are, and it is nearly universal despite whether they appear to be 20 year old or new d…

Even my car has a touchscreen that requires, on average about 1 second to register a touch. I mean, a replacement capacitive touch screen for my samsung mobile is like 2000 Rs. (30 USD) Its frustrating how far we have come and yet how behind we are.

I doubt your average phone screen would be happy being left in 80+ °C for prolonged periods of time. Automotive grade exists for a reason, as Tesla[1] found out the hard way.

[1]: https://www.thedrive.com/tech/27989/teslas-screen-saga-shows...

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#147

Post by masklinn »

Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #83

Whenever one of my developers tells me that my phone is too slow when their app lags on my Android 4.1 phone, I tell them the specs of Apollo 11 computer and scold them for being unable to deliver a smoothly scrolling list of messages on a freaking supercomputer in my palm.

Yes because the AGC was well known for its smoothly scrolling message lists on its large high-density display.

Re: Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers

#148

Post by masklinn »

aasasd wrote: post #84

Forget AGC: Cypress CYPD4225's clock rate is higher than that of Playstation 1 (48 MHz vs 33). However, I don't see graphics specs here so there's room for growth.

Clock rate means not very much across architectures, especially when specialised architecture is involved.
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