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definitely-not-an-alb · 5 years

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Magical Machines In RoL: A short Round-Up

Shortening because this is long.

There’s a surprising number of magical or mysterious devices we keep encountering:

The Pin in one of the Cat-Girls temple in Moon Over Soho

The Cunning Device in A Rare Book of Cunning Device

Lesley’s Phone-Bomb in The Hanging Tree

“Mary Engine”, (Might be related to Ada Lovelace’s design, as per Peter’s observations, might be some type of early calculator?)

“Some Type of Device” Babbage (Who worked with Lovelace) was working on for the Folly, according to Nightingale

And then there’s Lady Helena’s insistence that her tradition’s Magic Salons go back to Caroline from Ansbach, who, Peter notes, also hung about with one Gottfried Willhelm Leibniz (Who was – hopefully – not a machine, though he did write like he was running out of time and was generally low-key bonkers)

First three are kind of ??? so let’s look at the last three (+) instead

Why the fuck is Leibniz relevant for us?

Now, I’m not one for Great-Man-Histroy, but even I have to admit that Leibniz was, again, kind of off-the-Weird-Genius-charts. If you, say, want a literary or historical counterweight to Isaac Newton in Allsasser-Excentric-Genuis-Bullshit, he’s the man. Literally. Anygays. There are five(ish) things that connect Leibniz to the rest of the RoL Universe;

He’s connected with Caroline from Ansbach, as stated above

He dabbled in alchemy (well, he dabbled in everything)

He got into an academic bitch fight with Isaac Newton (Because either on of them plagiarized the other or they just invented the same Important Math Thing at roughtly the same time – we will never know ~~~)

He either invented the binary code* (aka thing that makes Computers go be-bop) or greatly improved it/anticipated a bunch of logic-probelms with it, depending on who you ask

He revolutionized early calculators by inventing the Leibniz Wheel (aka, the things that made Calculators go shrrrrrrrrrr for 200 years before things got funky and analytical)

(All of this is somewhere between the late 1660s – 1716s) (* same problem of the )

Early Calculators and Leibniz Wheels

(Aka a long and rambly part that you can skip if you don’t want to learn about Fancy Early Tech)

Early Calculators where mostly stuff like fancy modefied Abaci, but in the 1640s this french dude Pascal build an Arithmetic Machine, which used interlockign wheels to do what it says on the tin crunch numbers. This machine was both very cool and very suck-tastic; it could do math for you (yay); But it was also super expensive, hard to transport, harder to build, even harder to opperate and therefore prone to human error (boo). It was also limited to addition an subtraction. It didn’t really catch on.

Along comes Leibniz and designes the Leibniz Wheel (which, unlike the A.M.’s wheels, which needed 10 rotations per single digit, only needed a single rotation for any operation involving a single-digit number and could, in conjunction with other Leibniz wheels, carry over into higher digits more easily. He used it to build the first really usable Calculator(s). This Stepped Reckoner (which is what you get when you badly translate Stufenrechner) was easier to operate and it could perform all four basic operations. You could actually use it. Or, as this book puts it:

“The demand for Leibniz’s machines was largely for it’s help in calculating tables of common mathematical functions. In the seventeenth century producing one of these tables might have been a lifes’s work.”

Just, in case you wanted to know how rad people thought this was.

Here’s a link to a video of an animated Leibniz Wheel in use.

Babbage’s Difference Engine and Analytical Engine

Babbage’s Difference Engine (1820s/30s) and Analytical Engine (1830s), genreally considered the ‘first computer’ if they’d actually build it, was basically the attempt to stack as many Leibniz Wheel-ish Wheels (they used a variation, btu it‘s afaik the same concept) as possible on top of each other and operate them all simultaneously by using the technology of Joseph Marie Jacquard’s “programmable” Loom (invented around 1800, uses Punchcards to weave different & complex patterns) to brute-force complex mathematical problems.

The Difference Engine was supposed to use this system to calculate and print mathematical tables. It was supposed to be able to calculate polynoms and use sinus and cosinus and such (!!! I know that sounds easy when we all have a graphical calculator lying around at home like a useless math brick, but this is so cool!)

The Analytical Engine was a step up from this, as it should have functioned without human intervention and was upposed to be fully programmable. It even had something like 10 kB memory space. It was a computer, is what it is.

Now, Ada Lovelace took one long look at that and went “well, clearly this isn’t cool enough yet” because she was born a Byron and Just That Extra. She was also apparently called the Enchantress of Numbers by Babbage ... just ... like ... maybe ... okay.

Anyways, Ada, while trying to explain what the fuck this thing was supposed to do to the general science public, casually invented the analytical computer program. As you do. As you fucking do.

(Still using this book as well as this book btw)

To make this clear: Babbage is that one kid who’s always finished first in Math Class because he actually knows how to make tht Unloved Math Brick Of Ugh do what he wants; Ada is that kid who wrote her own game for her Math Brick, hasn’t payed attention since Grade 6 and is currently reading a college-level informatic book under the table. In the first row, Isaac and Gottfried are throwing chalk at each other. Well, you get what I mean.

The Mary Engine

The Mary Engine is produced in the 1840s and is small enough to fit into the store room’s shelves. It’s not a Differentiation or an Analytical Engine, and probably also not a Stepped Reckoner.

But. This thing is actually incredible. The Mary Engine is TINY.

Babbage never finished either Engine. They only build on around 1900 iirr. Second off, the Engines where fuck off huge. Things the size of the Mary Engine really only came around in the early 1900 or so. ‘Enigmas’ (aka Rotor-Crypto-Machines, which are way less complex then actual calculators), while ‘invented’ shortly after WWI all over the world, only became small enough to be moved comfortably on-person during WWII. How the fuck did they get the Mary Engine that small in the 1840s?

If there’s anything I’m missing (or that I’ve gotten horribly wrong, because I’m a computer noob in the end) hit me up so that I can amend this thing. I don’t really have a Grand Fandom Theory or anything. This is just a list (+ minor explanations) of Cool Stuff. A lot of people probably already know this stuff, but I had fun writing this and it might bring people who weren’t raised in Leibniz-Central up to speed somewhat.

Now, another thing, because someone pointed it out a while ago (and I can’t! Believe! I didn’t make that connection!); Linden-Limmer. I really should have seen that one: I fucking live here. So: Hannover, Germany is kind of a bonkers town.

#Rivers of London #meta #idk if anyone actually cares #but this has been in my drafts for ages #and i can't even properly check it anymore because i've read it so often #ugh

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mingmagazine-blog · 7 years

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Surprisingly Good, Cheap Mechanical Keyboards

Have you ever been to a fellow gamer’s house, maybe in your early introduction to the world of quality hardware, and marveled at the technology he (or she) had? Maybe you were entranced by the RGB-everything, the curved 21:9 monitor, or the insane level of silence his water-cooling system could achieve. What about his keyboard? Did you think of that? You know, the one with the fancy Cherry MX Blues in it that went all “clickety-clackety.” Besides its silky smooth response and its satisfying sound, what was so special about those mechanical keyboards? Probably the fact that his was about $200.

The Mechanical Keyboards

You may be thinking “Woah! Mechanical keyboards go for that much? Sheesh…” Well, hold on to your socks, my fellow lower-middle-class college students. Cherry’s patent on their oh-so-clickety-clackety mechanical switches ran out. Do you know what that means? That’s right; we now have some Korean knockoffs! Yeah, they may not have the greatest backlighting system or, heck, they may not be backlit at all. They may also not have braided special cables, macro keys, or some funky branded design. But you know what? Most of them work pretty darn well, even for my daily driver that set me back a whole $34. Part of becoming a responsible man is getting the most out of your money.

What’s Being Judged

Just to be clear, we’re going to be covering REALLY cheap mechanical keyboards. This means we’re specifically looking for something $40 or less. We’ll also be basing our selections on three different criteria: functionality, general aesthetics, and overall quality. To keep brand reputation from being an issue, all of our selections got no less than four stars on their reviews, which I do go through and read. I’ll also shorten the title of the product within reason since a lot of manufacturers love to add the entire specification chart into it. Just for reassurance, all five of my selections will be straight from Amazon.com to make sure they are easily accessible and, with Prime, shipping will be free too.

Hcman Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Hcman Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Blue Switches, PC Gaming Keyboard of 6 Colors Led Backlit For Computer or Mac,87 Keys

Via: amazon.com

For number five, we’re looking at the Hcman Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. This tenkeyless keyboard claims to feature switches similar to Cherry MX Blues and is fully backlit with six colors, nine different modes of illumination, and variable intensity. It comes with a blasted aluminum base plate, black double-shot injection keycaps, media keys, anti-ghosting, and is driverless. Though I personally found the colors a bit annoying, especially with certain patterns of illumination, you can set the intensity all the way down to zero. So if you like the look of it, but not the backlighting, that’s always an option. At a whopping $26, this sounds like a pretty good deal, but let’s look at it a bit closer.

Pros:

Decent finish, somewhat programmable backlighting, extra function keys, Blue-style switches, anti-ghosting, good build quality, compatible with all versions of windows and mac, actually has a braided USB cable, a key cap puller, and all at a really good price.

Cons:

The colors cannot be programmed to one solid color, sadly. So if you don’t really like having a rainbow flashing at you the whole time you’re using it, this one may not be for you. Speaking of which, its keys are also only programmable through the certain keys on the keyboard itself since it doesn’t come with a driver. The legend on the keycaps are a little too “gamery” for my tastes, but your mileage may vary. Also, since it’s tenkeyless, it is way more ergonomic. If you fancy yourself some “Accounting Simulator 2017,” you may want a full 104 key keyboard.

EagleTec KG011 Mechanical keyboard

EagleTec KG011 Office / Industrial LED Backlit Mechanical Keyboard (White + Silver)

Via: amazon.com

Next on our list is the EagleTec KG011 Mechanical keyboard, with an aluminum base plate and white double-shot injected keycaps which are also anti-ghosting. Its users claim that it has Outemu Blue switches, which require noticeably more actuation force than Cherry MX Blues when operating and also seem to be a bit louder.

Pros:

This keyboard comes in a LOT of aesthetic variants. Though the one in the picture is white and silver, there’s also a black version with both versions featuring several different backlighting layouts such as solid colors, no backlight, and RGB. Though this one doesn’t come with a braided cable for durability and aesthetics, it does come with a numpad in case you tend to use that a lot. It’s pretty solid and heavy, so it won’t be moving around very easily.

Cons:

All of that being said, the legend on the keycaps is a little wonky and very weird to read. It’s a little too “gamery ” and its price is on the higher end of the list at around $40. But, compared to the name-brand mechanical keyboards, it’s definitely not a bad price by any means.

Redragon K552 Mechanical Keyboard

Redragon K552 KUMARA LED Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Black)

Via: amazon.com

The number three of the mechanical keyboards is the Redragon K552 Mechanical Keyboard. Being one of the most reviewed and highly reviewed cheap mechanical keyboards, it comes with a metal base plate, double-shot injected keycaps, and various formats of backlighting such as none, red, and RGB. They claim to feature “Cherry Green equivalent” switches, but they actually are Outemo Blue switches. They’re good, but actually not very close to Cherry MX Greens when it comes to the actuation force. This one also doesn’t have any braided sleeve on the cable, nor does it have a numpad. This keyboard looks and feels quite a bit “gamery” (I’ve said that all of these so far, haven’t I?), but at a whole $33, there’s really no room to complain about this one. Now onto my take:

Pros:

Very good price for a well-made, backlit, anti-ghosting, fairly well-built, reputable mechanical keyboard. The reviews say that the backlighting is not too bright on its highest setting, but still adequate with a monitor right in front of it.

Cons:

Again, a little too “gamery,” but honestly, that’s not a surprise with certain brands when the switches are actually mechanical. Other than that, and the big noisy logo, all else seems to be tolerable. Of course, it doesn’t have a braided cable, nor does it have macro keys, or a driver for backlight programming, but it has clicky-clacky, and that makes most of the drawbacks of these keyboards okay.

Qisan Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanical Keyboard Gaming Keyboard Brown Switch 68-Keys Mini Design (60%) Gaming Wired Keyboard White Silver Magicforce by Qisan

Via: amazon.com

Number two on our list is the Qisan Mechanical Keyboard. This tenkeyless keyboard features Outemu switches which they claim to mimic Cherry MX Browns, a blasted aluminum base plate, and an extremely compact design; making it very convenient for traveling or LAN parties. This compact design is achieved by merging the “F” and “ESC” keys with the tilde number keys, completely negating the whole top row on a standard keyboard. It also features a really useful cable setup on the bottom, allowing for proficient cable management. It has white keycaps and no backlighting, but for this keyboard, backlighting is not necessary since it’s mostly for business and portable applications. That being said, again, this one does not come with a numpad.

Pros:

Well built, modern looking, VERY compact, decent switches, and a really nice setup for cable management. What drawbacks it has from the “F” keys not being media keys, it makes up for by re-purposing other keys that didn’t have an “F” function, so you still technically get media keys. Overall, this one seems to be a perfect design and purpose for the average consumer and would appeal greatly to someone who maybe travels for business, and would like a much more enjoyable typing experience than their mushy laptop keyboard can give them.

Cons:

It is on the higher end of our price range at $39, which still isn’t bad, but it also has no backlighting, and its small size may not be for everyone or every application. It also doesn’t have a braided cable for durability and aesthetics, but that’s negated by its clever setup.

Pictek PPC023B-PTUS Mechanical Keyboard

Pictek PPC023B-PTUS Water-Resistant Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Blue Switch, Key Cap Puller – Black

Via: amazon.com

Now on to our number one selection for mechanical keyboards. We have the keyboard that I’m typing on right now, the Pictek PPC023B-PTUS Mechanical Keyboard. This tenkeyless keyboard features switches that definitely imitate Cherry MX Blues, a black metal base plate, and black keycaps. It has no backlighting but, personally, I don’t really care about backlighting. Unless it has a driver for me to program each key individually, I don’t want it. Especially if it has a bunch of different colors. From my experience, it gets really old, really fast. The logo above the arrow keys is surprisingly well-designed, nonintrusive, and differed greatly from the logo in the pictures. Which, honestly, that was a pleasant surprise, since I wasn’t a huge fan of the other logo anyways.

The cable is nothing special. It doesn’t have any braided sleeve, nor does it have a clever setup like the last one, but it touts all over its description and pictures the fact that this keyboard is water-resistant. This is largely due to the well-placed drain holes on the bottom which allow all of the water from a spill to get out. While that’s pretty cool, the rule applies for any electronics: if it gets wet, and it’s allowed to dry for a good three to four days, it should work 8/10 times depending on what it is. Either way, at least it’s a better design for letting it dry.

Pros:

Very well built, good typing experience, and at $34, it hits the mark on our quality/price ratio. It comes with a key cap puller, and its logo is well-designed and very non-intrusive, which is a nice change of pace. The legend on the keycaps is very traditional, easy to read, and it won’t make you look weird if you decide to use it at work or school.

Cons:

However, these switches are mimics of Cherry MX Blues, and they are loud. Very loud. If you’re looking to use it around other people at the office, you may want to pick up a bag of small o-rings to put under the key caps. That should make it somewhat quieter. It has no backlighting and no braided cable sleeve, but neither of those matter in my book. Plus, again, this one is tenkeyless, so it doesn’t have a numpad. But with all of these, if you really need a numpad, you might like the full 104 key selections, or you can get a separate mechanical numerical keypad.

In Conclusion

Mechanical keyboards are starting to become less of an enthusiast novelty and more accessible to the average consumer, which I think is awesome. If you still can’t afford these for some reason, you can still get mechanical switches if you can pick up an old IBM Model M or a Dell AT101W on eBay. If you can get one really cheap, or you have one lying around, there are ways of making their switches much, much better. Or you can leave it if it feels good to you. All of this comes down to personal preference. Again, this list is based on my personal opinion and observations, so feel free to try out any selection you like. That’s the best thing about this: at under $40, you’re not out much if you don’t like what you get.

#Amazon #Cheap #gaming #Gear #Keyboards #Mechanical Keyboards #PC #Peripherals #Gaming

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