Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

I was familiar with the information theory arguments (the same presented in Wikipedia[1]). Is that why they mean here by "quantum mechanics" or is there another counterargument to Maxwell's daemon?

1: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell's_demon#Criticism_an...

Re: Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

#6

Post by Dalewyn » Sun, Oct 20, 2024, 8:54 AM UTC

pzmarzly wrote: post #3

Interestingly, Safari Reader View doesn't work on this page. Firefox's does. Alternatively, here's a readable mirror: https://ei.cs.vt.edu/%7Ehistory/Daemon.html And another: https://old.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/7w7914/the_origin_of...

This was the internet we loved, I miss it.

Re: Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

#7

Post by latexr » Sun, Oct 20, 2024, 9:32 AM UTC

pzmarzly wrote: post #3

Interestingly, Safari Reader View doesn't work on this page. Firefox's does. Alternatively, here's a readable mirror: https://ei.cs.vt.edu/%7Ehistory/Daemon.html And another: https://old.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/7w7914/the_origin_of...

> Safari Reader View doesn't work on this page.

What do you mean? I just tried it and it was fine.

Re: Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

#8

Post by pzmarzly » Sun, Oct 20, 2024, 9:37 AM UTC

latexr wrote: post #7

pzmarzly wrote: post #3

Interestingly, Safari Reader View doesn't work on this page. Firefox's does. Alternatively, here's a readable mirror: https://ei.cs.vt.edu/%7Ehistory/Daemon.html And another: https://old.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/7w7914/the_origin_of...

> Safari Reader View doesn't work on this page. What do you mean? I just tried it and it was fine.

For me (macOS 15.0.1), it only extracts the biggest quote (Your explanation of the origin of the word daemon ... United Kingdom web sites), the rest of the text is lost.

Re: Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

#9

Post by n4r9 » Sun, Oct 20, 2024, 9:40 AM UTC

JD557 wrote: post #5

Unrelated to the word "daemon", but related to the article, I was a bit surprised by this assertion: > Eventually, though, the theory of quantum mechanics showed why it wouldn't work. I was familiar with the information theory arguments (the same presented in Wikipedia[1]). Is that why they mean here by "quantum mechanics" or is there another counterargument to Maxwell's daemon? 1: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max…

I'm guessing that the daemon's ability to allow only fast molecules through the gate depends on knowing their position and velocity simultaneously?

Re: Origin of 'Daemon' in Computing

#10

Post by pyinstallwoes » Sun, Oct 20, 2024, 9:47 AM UTC

from PIE dai-mon- "divider, provider" (of fortunes or destinies), from root da- "to divide."

to divide power, compute.