Discovering How Greeks Computed in 100 B.C

[Fred Cisin]

On Sat, 2 Aug 2008, Vassilis Prevelakis wrote:
> For a more technical description of the mechanism you can also check:
>    The Antikythera Mechanism: a Computer Science Perspective
>    by Diomidis Spinellis
> at
> http://www.dmst.aueb.gr/dds/pubs/jrnl/2008-Computer-Antikythera/html/Spi08d.htm

In the news Thursday,  . . .
They've deciphered enough of the inscriptions to find that the
calibrations include the timings of the Greek Olympics.
While not a big deal in itself, it implies that it was NOT entirely a
scientific instrument, that it was also intended for some more social PDA
uses.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jU7fJrgvGExUWTrCXBVupod791KwD928EIB80http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jU7fJrgvGExUWTrCXBVupod791KwD928EIB80
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7533457.stm
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL06431620080731

Hmmmm.  How long before they figure out that it was used for odds-making
by bookies?


--
Grumpy Ol' Fred     		cisin at xenosoft.com