The Difference Engine

[Greg, Muad'Dib]

This is the discussion thread for the first book of the month, or group read, for September. Please remember to use the spoiler tags where necessary. The other group read topic for this month (Perdido Street Station) can be found here.

[Marvin]

I read this a long time ago. I remember loving its premise which is that of a society where computers are powered by gears and steams instead of being ran by electricity and transistors.

I find this interesting because during those times, the concept of electricity did not see any industrial and commercial applications just yet and so they were considered some abstract physical concepts, just like how we view black holes or quantum entanglement today. :)

In fact, people's lives were so dependent on steam during those days that the first incarnations of the AI by Zadock Deddrick is actually steam powered ("how else could we power it?" they may ask). Contrast it to today where our lives are so dependent on electricity that if we are asked what powers an AI inside, we would probably imagine it being ran by electricity (how else could run it?)

Probably hundred years from now, another type of mechanism would run our society and people from the future would have fond memories of us that lived in an era ran by electricity. :)

[Donna Rae]

Marvin said: "Probably hundred years from now, another type of mechanism would run our society and people from the future would have fond memories of us that lived in an era ran by electricity. :)

You know what, Marvin? I look forward to that day - there are so many things you have to charge-up today, even before you leave the house! It used to be a race for the bathroom in the morning, but now it's a race for electrical sockets!

[William]

I'm a Gibson fan but hadn't read this one yet. After seeing the Wild Wild West movie, and all the steampunk fashion that was around then, I wasn't sure steampunk was for me. After reading The Difference Engine, I realized it's really a mostly believable alternate history.
According to Wikipedia, the more advanced Analytical Engine was designed by Babbage in 1837 and there was no reason it could not have been built if he had enough funding.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analyti...