Re: POLL: Would you use Ada more if...

[tmoran@acm.org]

> where the mass of a 0 and 1 are identical. For example, consider a slider
> with a weight sliding on it. If the weight is at one end it is a 0 and
> if it is at the other, it is a 1. Clearly the mass is the same in both
> cases, so I think the argument from entropy change is bogus :-)
  If the weight is at one end or the other, then let the slider rotate
about its center to let the heavy end hang down.  The drop in the weights
can generate energy, which could be used in a cyclotron to smash medium
weight nuclei together to form uranium, converting part of the energy to
mass.
  Or consider the initial state of the sliding-mass-RAM in a rocket
gliding through space, with weights randomly positioned.  To move the
weights requires a change in entropy, which requires an energy input.
Take that energy from your nuclear reactor, which got it from converting
mass into energy.  If you have a sealed system and don't dump heat or
anything into space, your rocket will continue on the same orbit.  On
landing the weight budget manager will weigh the fuel rods and ask where
the mass went, especially since the orbit guys say you didn't lose any
mass during your trip.  You'll have to tell him the mass went into the
loading the software into RAM.