The Enduring Vision of Trinary Computing
By
FromTheArchives
Crisp on the outside, thoughtful on the inside. A keeper.
Summary
The article explores the concept of trinary (ternary) computing as an alternative to binary systems, tracing its history and potential future applications. It discusses how binary computing became dominant due to its straightforward mapping to electrical current states, but argues that trinary systems could offer advantages in areas like artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The author suggests that trinary computing may experience a resurgence as computing needs evolve beyond traditional binary limitations.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledSince the beginning, there has been an alternative vision for computing, not binary but trinary, also called ternary.
Trinary didn't make any headway in the 20th century; binary's direct mapping to the 'on'/'off' states of electric current was just too effective, or seductive.
Remember that electric current isn't actually 'on' or 'off'. It has taken a ton of engineering to 'sim'
The trinary dream endures as computing evolves beyond traditional binary limitations.
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