Chapter 276 Difference Engine
"Mr. Babbage, with all due respect, you and your machine have a common problem - it is too bloated." Vincenz Augustine, the military's chief weapons manufacturing expert, lamented.
In fact, this opinion represents the voice of all experts present. But since almost all of them had purchased or reserved Babbage's Difference Engine in advance, it was naturally difficult to offend this stubborn wizard in person.
In fact, due to the emergence and application of the difference engine, many studies, such as ballistics, can be carried out smoothly.
In the past, a ballistics analysis required twenty highly trained actuaries and at least ten hours a day, and took up to a year to complete.
Now with the difference engine, the time for this work has been reduced to only two months. Of course, since the weapons of this era were still very substandard, the accuracy of calculations was limited, and it was often ridiculed as a useless subject.
This time, the masterpiece Babbage wanted to show was not the Difference Engine, but the Analytical Engine he developed. This huge machine composed of 37,000 parts is 3.5 meters high and weighs five tons. If you include the steam power plant next to it, the total weight is probably close to ten tons.
"Mr. Augustine, do you know the proverb that "big guys have great wisdom"? For example, since my belly can accommodate endless wisdom, it can also do it. Also, please don't ignore me. Assistant Miss Ada.”
No one likes to be teased about their figure, and Babbage is no exception; of course, no one wants to say that their baby is bad, unless the sun rises in the west one day.
"In fact, from the perspective of the structure of physiological dissection, your wisdom should be in your brain, not in your stomach. The longest organ in your stomach is called the large intestine, which is filled with feces."
Vincenz Augustine sarcastically said. This person is a typical conservative who neither likes Babbage nor can he accept a woman engaging in scientific research. He even called Lady Ada privately Babbage's mistress.
However, Babbage did not take the other party's ridicule to heart at all, but concentrated on explaining his creation to the experts present.
"Gentlemen, are you still satisfied with the simple four arithmetic operations and the most basic function calculations?"
In fact, Babbage's difference engine can already run simple functions, so it attracted the attention of the British government. This invention was a major breakthrough for navigation and astronomy at the time.
However, because the British machinery manufacturing industry at that time could not meet Babbage's requirements, it had to be left to fend for itself.
The same important part may require more than a dozen masters and dozens of processes in a British factory. After several days and tens of pounds spent, there is still no guarantee that the error will be less than one thousandth.
In Austria at this time, it only took a few hours and dozens of florins to complete.
In the field of small-scale parts manufacturing, the gap between the two sides can be even more widened by nearly a hundred times, because the British cannot set up a production line specifically for this small batch of parts, while the Austrians only need to make a simple mold to achieve mass production. .
Closer to home, Babbage's "science class" is still going on, but others present do not seem to be infected by his excitement and excitement.
So, he asked his assistant, Mrs. Ada, to prepare a very complex and tedious mathematical problem, and planned to give the experts present five minutes to calculate it in advance, and then do it himself after five minutes.
Embarrassingly, it took less than a minute for someone to figure out the correct answer. Five minutes passed, and half of the people present had already handed in satisfactory answers.
Vincenz Augustine looked at Babbage with interest. Although he could not calculate the answer himself, this did not prevent him from waiting for the other party to make a fool of himself with an attitude of gloating.
The latter was already accustomed to such embarrassing and deliberately difficult scenes, and was completely unmoved and continued to mind his own business, saying,
"Ladies and gentlemen, as long as I press this switch, a miracle will happen. At that time, a set of 25 completely accurate numbers will be clearly displayed in front of everyone."
At this time, Jin's scientific research giant, who weighed more than 220 pounds (previously 150 pounds), held the lever, and then looked at his assistant, Mrs. Ada (now 160 pounds, previously 100 pounds), who gave He gave an affirmative look.
At this moment, everything around him seemed to be still. Babbage couldn't hear the noise in his heart, and only saw his own analytical engine.
"Witness the miracle!" Babbage pulled the lever, and with the roar of the steam engine, the gears began to move at high speed.
Babbage looked at his watch. One minute had passed, which was the theoretical time, and he shouted to the audience.
"Welcome to the future!"
Just hearing a "Boom!", the Royal Academy for Women in Vienna had to suspend classes for a week due to safety concerns.
Later, according to statistics, a total of more than 20 professors were sent to the Vienna General Academy. Fortunately, no casualties were caused.
Of course, the most seriously injured were Babbage himself and Lady Ada, who were closest to the center of the explosion. Fortunately, the fat on their bodies acted as a buffer and they only suffered minor bruises and fractures.
The injuries suffered by the rest of the injured are not serious, and considering that they, "high-risk individuals", often visit the hospital, this year we will do an experiment of burning a few strands of hair and experience firsthand what it means to have a broken head and a bloody head. Common thing.
At this time, Vincent Augustine, who was hit by a flying part and injured his foot, did not forget to mock the two people who were wrapped into rice dumplings even though he was leaning on crutches.
"I sincerely invite you to join my weapons development department. From now on, you can take your invention to France for a seminar and blow up all the French scientists. You will be considered loyal to the country."
Babbage still held his head high, ignoring the other party's ridicule, and secretly said in his heart, "I am an Englishman."
Vincent Augustine was speechless when he saw the other party. Feeling that he had won a great battle, he left on crutches. Unfortunately, he happened to collide with a group of little lolita, and he was drowned out before he could scream. In the sea of lolita.
"This is what you are doing?"
Babbage looked at the lolita with small baskets in front of him, feeling a little moved and a little confused.
"Teacher! We support you! You must continue your research!"
"Yes, teacher, we also brought food!"
"Yes, I made it myself!"
"Teacher, come on!"
"Teacher, come on!"
Some little Lolita even brought Florin to show their sincerity. Obviously these children are not some ignorant brats.
It’s just that they don’t show this to others in person. Instead, they choose to put the money under the food and hide it in the basket.
Babbage and Ada were deeply moved. They never expected that so many people would support their hard and noisy work, and they couldn't help but shed tears of excitement.
In the future, whenever they feel that the research cannot continue, they will always think of what happened today, and then they will return to their posts with renewed motivation.
What they don't know is that the main reason why these lolita support them is that they want more absentee time, and these two teachers have accomplished what they have always dared not do - bomb the school.
Thanks to book friend S Yun Dong Bafang for the reward.
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