CPUs (+ALUs) in Minecraft

Some people have managed to create working CPUs (or ALUs) in Minecraft. They're slow and have little computing power or memory, but I still think it's an interesting case of recursion. Minecraft simulates a physical world, and these are computers created within the confines, and conforming to the rules of that world.

In any case, some links to information/videos about creating CPUs (and ALUs) in Minecraft follow.


An 8-bit CPU:


And a webpage about it: http://lazcraft.info/tagged/CPU

(This is the project with most information.)

A 16-bit CPU:


Here's the Youtube channel connected with this project: http://www.youtube.com/user/theinternetftw


A 32-bit ALU:

And, finally, it's not a computer, but a pretty cool implementation of Conway's Game of Life in Minecraft:

Conway's Game of Life in Minecraft:

Let me know about other CPUs/ALUs etc. in the comments.

Clockworks: explanations and videos

Some interesting/educational videos on the workings of mechanical watches.

First, from 1949, a video produced by the Hamilton Watch Company:

Source: http://www.archive.org/details/HowaWatc1949

A simple demonstration of the basic design and operation of a watch. The inside "works" are shown in stop-motion animation using giant 7.5 foot, in-line movement, exact and to scale in every detail. [See the source for higher resolution versions.]

Second, a beautiful video showing some high resolution video shots of a mechanical pocket watch:

Source: http://theb-roll.com/day-186-time/

[See the source for a description.]

(More bits on clockworks here: http://blekko.com/ws/+/beslayed/clockworks .)