Thanks for reading these entries. I will keep going.
Mike
Entry 1-303: October 24, 2013
Analog vs. Digital computers
In both the long-form and the modern version of Rome's Revolution, OMCOM sets up the final battle with MASAL deep within the bowels of Kilauea. At one point, OMCOM and MASAL have this exchange:
“You!” said MASAL, addressing OMCOM. “You digital dolt. Your VIRUS units. I have seen your design. They cannot operate in an oxygen atmosphere.”
“Well, you analog antique, these are different. We had these special ones made just for you,” said OMCOM’s livetar.
What did MASAL mean by this? Why digital dolt? Why analog antique?
It turns out that the design of MASAL was patterned using the remains of the Erklirte (Ark Lords) computer found within the Ark V. The computer within was analog, not digital. The mission planners did extensive risk analysis of long-term exposure to vacuum, cold and radiation and came to the conclusion that a multiply-redundant analog computer would be more likely to still be functional after several hundred years when compared to a digital computer.
Of course, once MASAL had duped the Vuduri and introduced the 24th chromosome into the human population, it was his analog nature that allowed him to merge with the newly formed Overmind. Ultimately, the two entities had to separate and this led to The Robot War.
After the war was over and MASAL seemingly destroyed, the Vuduri swore they would never allow this to happen again. Research and development led to the re-invention of digital computers. OMCOM was simply the most recent version but even if he ever got access to Casimir Pumps, he still could not merge or attempt a takeover of any Overmind because his makeup was completely incompatible.
Is any of this real? Are there really analog computers in our world? The answer is absolutely. You can read a short article about them. It turns out that while digital computers are completely pervasive in our society, there will always be a place for analog computers simply because they are faster and better suited for certain tasks. Interestingly, many of those applications are simulations of biological processes which is precisely why MASAL attempted his takeover in the first place.
Entry 1-304: October 25, 2013
Rei's sonar ""vision""
As you are well aware, toward the end of Part 1 of Rome's Revolution, Rei Bierak was given a yellow pill to fix his back pain. OMCOM "forgot" to mention to Rei that there were to be other side effects. One of the changes in Rei's body was the creation of an EM-based "cell phone" in his head which allowed Rei to communicate first with MINIMCOM the later with Rome over long distances.
Another effect was that a neural net connected Rei's auditory cortex to his visual cortex and created another mechanism for Rei to "see" even in complete darkness. This is actually superior to the method of echolocation used by bats. Bats have an advanced auditory cortex which produces the findings they need to locate and ingest insects which are their primary source of food.