DIGITAL AND ANALOG COMPUTING DEVICES: A COMPARISON

Three General Considerations (after Goldstine):
1. GENERALITY
2. ACCURACY
3. SPEED

ANALOG MACHINES

A machine or electronic circuit designed to work on numerical data represented by some physical quantity (e.g. rotation or displacement) or electrical quantity (e.g. voltage or charge) which varies continuously. Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
 

• GENERALITY: Ability to follow some precise formulae - but only the one(s) selected
• ACCURACY: Mechanical imperfections (gears, pulleys, gravity) inhibit
• SPEED: Gravity plays significant role - often faster speeds mean less accurate results


* Analog machines have the capability of showing many different values.
* The analog machine can express measurements as precisely as the device allows.

---


 
 

Click HERE to Continue