"Asimov, Isaac - Feeling of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

"And possibly they did not compute."
"You know better than that. Even the building of a rail-
road or a ziggurat called for some computing, and that must
have been without computers as we know them."
"Do you suggest they computed in the fashion you demon-
strate?"
"Probably not. After all, this methodwe call it 'graph-
itics,' by the way, from the old European word 'grapho'
meaning 'to write'is developed from the computers them-
selves so it cannot have antedated them. Still, the cave men
must have had some method, eh?"
"Lost arts! If you're going to talk about lost arts"
"No, no. I'm not a lost art enthusiast, though I don't say
there may not be some. After all, man was eating grain be-
fore hydroponics, and if the primitives ate grain, they must
have grown it in soil. What else could they have done?"
"I don't know, but I'll believe in soil-growing when I see
someone grow grain in soil. And I'll believe in making fire
by rubbing two pieces of flint together when I see that, too."
Shuman grew placative. "Well, let's stick to graphitics. It's
just part of the process of etherealization. Transportation by
means of bulky contrivances is giving way to direct mass
transference. Communications devices become less massive
and more efficient constantly. For that matter, compare your
pocket computer with the massive jobs of a thousand years
ago. Why not, then, the last step of doing away with com-
puters altogether? Come, sir. Project Number is a going con-
cern; progress is already headlong. But we want your help.
If patriotism doesn't move you, consider the intellectual ad-
venture involved."
Loesser said sceptically, "What progress? What can you do
beyond multiplication? Can you integrate a transcendental
function?"
"In time, sir. In time. In the last month I have learned
to handle division. I can determine, and correctly, integral
quotients and decimal quotients."
"Decimal quotients? To how many places?"
Programmer Shuman tried to keep his tone casual. "Any
number!"
Loesser's lower jaw dropped. "Without a computer?"
"Set me a problem."
"Divide twenty-seven by thirteen. Take it to six places."
Five minutes later, Shuman said, "Two point oh seven six
nine two three."
Loesser checked it. "Well, now, that's amazing. Mulitiplica-
tion didn't impress me too much because it involved in-
tegers after all, and I thought trick manipulation might do
it. But decimals"
"And that is not all. There is a new development that is,
so far, top secret and which strictly speaking, I ought not to