Re: Simulating an assembler?


"Bob Larson" <boblarson@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Do we now have computers capable of designing and testing an assembler
> in software?

I'll hazard to say no. Not in any reasonable amount of time with any
reasonable fidelity to reality. All simulations employ approximations and
abstractions, but even the worst reasonable approximations (e.g. molecular
dynamics) still take a long time to model moderately complex systems. And
if you want to simulate, say, matter-electromagnetic interactions at the
molecularly scale then the situation becomes even more difficult.

> Has it been done yet?

Parts and small subsystems have been modeled (e.g. gears, mechanical
linkages, etc.) but not systems anywhere near as complex as an assembler.
Only smaller subsystems have been (and will be) designed and modelled to
any reasonable fidelity. In any serious attempt to design an asembler, I
expect only small subsystems to be modelled and the most important
parameters extracted from the modelling and the information placed into a
design repository. From there the abstracted subsystems can be joined
together into larger systems whose modelling involves many fewer variables.

Keep in mind that while computer modeling is nice and helpful, it wasn't
possible when complex systems like the first locomotives, automobiles, and
electronic computers had to be built.

.

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