41

Geek Speak / How good are modern computers at decoding WWII communications

« on: 29/03/2022 10:19:41 »

I would expect modern computers to easily decode traffic encodered with 3 disk machines but what of more complex encoders ?

42

Technology / Re: How does a toaster know when to pop?

« on: 23/03/2022 12:09:40 »

I have not dismantled my toaster but I believe when you adjust the control for the degree of toasting you vary  the heater current going to a thermally operated release switch that shuts down the toasting  operation.
My toaster has a button for frozen bread which apparently interpose a LED in the  heater current  circuit  delaying the cut off
These must be one of few domestic devices that do not include a computer of ENIAC complexity in their design !

43

General Science / Re: What's 0^0 ?

« on: 16/03/2022 17:56:13 »

Acording to Mathmetica which I consider the last word on maths 0^0 is inditerminate

44

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / what information about the solar system could be found from 1000 LY away

« on: 11/03/2022 10:32:39 »

At this distance with similar technology what could alien astronomers learn about our solar system

45

General Science / Re: What are some of the most accessible scientific proofs to help debunk religion?

« on: 11/03/2022 10:26:37 »

When I see the word god on a forum I skip thru it it has no place in a scientific forum unless mental slickness is being discussed

46

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Why don't gamma rays have a higher speed?

« on: 21/02/2022 12:38:31 »

If you set your clock by the GMT pips is the correct time the start or end of the last pip ?

47

Just Chat! / Re: Why did the duke of York not accept a "I will keep quiet deal"?

« on: 16/02/2022 15:58:20 »

It  seems that the Duke has wasted a lot of money by not paying up promptly

48

Technology / Re: What does Motex do ?

« on: 22/01/2022 15:22:41 »

It would be interesting to connect a filament lamp via an inductor and a simulated negative resistor to see if any oscillation occurs

49

Technology / Re: What does Motex do ?

« on: 22/01/2022 09:53:42 »

While the domestic load will be of a restive nature except for a few small transformers for battery chargers etc one would expect filament lamps where there is a rapid change of resistance as the Tungsten wire heats to some extent to look like capacitors.
Has anyone with suitable equipment measured the PF of filament lamps ?
 

50

Technology / Re: Do operating system updates require new computers?

« on: 21/01/2022 12:59:18 »

Later versions of "Rufus" are available that allwow you to emasculate windows 11 system slightly so that it will run on older CPU,s

51

Technology / What does Motex do ?

« on: 20/01/2022 19:50:19 »

This gadget cuts your electric bill by 90% legaly How?

52

Technology / Can modern pacemakers survive in MRI scanners

« on: 19/01/2022 12:23:36 »

I have recently been fitted with a pacemaker will that prevent me from having a MRI scan ?

53

Technology / How do manufactured diamonds compare to natural diamonds?

« on: 03/01/2022 16:19:14 »

The market for diamond jewellery is a very manged one, can man made diamonds equal natural ones

54

Geek Speak / Re: Is it still possible to run your vintage hardware?

« on: 01/01/2022 00:18:10 »

Modern roads have been reinvented they have been made more narrow and ridiculously low speed limitits enforced so what you need in a modern car is lots of comfort and entertainment (but you dare not talk on the internet as you dawdle along).

55

Geek Speak / Is it still possible to run your vintage hardware?

« on: 31/12/2021 17:04:16 »

Many of the older correspondents may own much loved vintage scanners etc and would have found when trying to set them up on a new system they no longer work despite having the software that has worked fine for 30 years.
The reason for this is that the nice people at Redmond wishing us to use shiny new equipment no longer supply the feature NVDTM that enables equipment that uses 16 bit code on a 32 bit system to operate.
All is not lost the NVDTM feature can be downloaded from many sources and inserted into the system via DISM with instructions readily available how to do this after which everything works fine.

56

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: How far from the building should the professor be when you release the egg?

« on: 19/12/2021 19:01:18 »

The equations that Alan quotes are a good approximation for bodies falling a few hundred meters but would only be accurate if the Earth was flat and of infinite extent.
As the distance from the centre of the Earth increases the force of gravity falls off otherwise the bodies would tend to acquire infinite energy !
These equations caused me considerably confusion when they were first foisted on me at school but I know better now   

57

Physiology & Medicine / How long do the effects of local anethisetic last ?

« on: 25/10/2021 10:00:24 »

Six days ago I had a large's area of my upper chest numbed to facilitate the the fitting of a pace maker which has been a great success.
There is still much irritation in this area which makes sleeping difficult has this effect been reported before as I was not warned about it

58

Just Chat! / Re: Is it possible to have a short discussion of history on a sciene forum ?

« on: 31/08/2021 10:22:31 »

The two good prime ministers that I can recall are Nevile Chamberlain who kept us out of the war for a year while our airforce and radar system was being built up and Clement Attlee who gave us a glimpse of what socialism would be like
Both all so had serious faults

59

Just Chat! / Re: Anyone on this forum the ideal weight?

« on: 27/08/2021 12:49:21 »

I am being dosed up with pills for prostrate cancer and heart failure ( with good results so far) and my weight has fallen to 81 kg, this would give me a BMI of 24 if my height had not fallen from 1.83 cm by 1.5 cm

60

Technology / Re: Why HP printer offline Windows 10?

« on: 27/08/2021 12:40:45 »

I have an excellent HP4 printer built 1995 but unfortionaly it has a SCSI interface and most modern mother boards do not allow you to fit a SCSI card.
I would dearly like to get a USB to SCSI cable but no one seems to make them any more.drivers are available with the warning that you may well ruin your computer if you use this driver !!!