OT: This Swift thing

[Rustom Mody]

On Monday, June 9, 2014 7:14:24 AM UTC+5:30, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> On Mon, 09 Jun 2014 04:16:24 +1000, Chris Angelico wrote:

> > wrote:
> >> Chris Angelico wrote:
> >>> Kurdt: I wouldn't disturb the fan controller. Kurdt: Ever seen an AMD
> >>> without a fan? ;) Leshrak: heh, yeah
> >>> Leshrak: actually.  it's not a pretty smell Kurdt: Especially when
> >>> it's overclocked. It goes FZZZZT in under two seconds.
> >>> I think that's about right.
> >> One would think that in 2014, a device called a "thermostat" would shut
> >> down the power before expensive equipent goes up in a ball of smoke.
> > That exchange actually happened back in 2005 (wow! ages ago now), but
> > same difference. However, I think there are very few thermostats that
> > can cut the power quickly enough for an overclocked chip that loses its
> > heat sink. MAYBE if the heat sink is still on and the fan isn't, but not
> > if the hs falls off. "Under two seconds" might become "the blink of an
> > eye".

> The fact that CPUs need anything more than a passive heat sink is 
> *exactly* the problem. A car engine has to move anything up to a tonne of 
> steel around at 100kph or more, and depending on the design, they can get 
> away with air-cooling. In comparison, a CPU just moves around a trickle 
> of electric current.

Trickle?
Ok... only its multiplied by a billion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor_count

> (No currently designed car with an internal combustion engine uses air-
> cooling. The last mass market car that used it, the Citroën GS, ceased 
> production in 1986. The Porsche 911 ceased production in 1998, making it, 
> I think, the last air-cooled vehicle apart from custom machines. With the 
> rise of all-electric vehicles, perhaps we will see a return to air-
> cooling?)

> CPU technology is the triumph of brute force over finesse.

If you are arguing that computers should not use millions/billions of
transistors, I wont argue, since I dont know the technology.

Only pointing out that billion is a large number in pragmatic terms
- So is million for that matter
- Actually not so sure even on that count
  [Never counted beyond hundred!]