Questions tagged [computers]
For questions regarding a device that can be programmed to carry out a set of certain set of tasks without external intervention.
288
questions
-3
votes
2
answers
116
views
Could we teach an AI to code better than people? [closed]
Neural Networks are often used to divise efficent ways of accomplishing tasks. We switched to higher levels of code because the additional levels of abstraction meant it was easier for people do code, ...
- 970
6
votes
8
answers
498
views
How do you make cyberwar lethal?
Imagine a world somewhat like today’s. Two servers, halfway across the world from each other, decide to declare war on each other. How would one server attempt to kill the personnel in the other ...
0
votes
1
answer
278
views
quantum computers able to see the future [closed]
when quantum computers become able to calculate quantum calculations, would that equal a psychic? Because wouldn't it be able to calculate possible future events at such a % it would become a true ...
- 19
-2
votes
1
answer
243
views
How would computer monitors work if we could sense the frequency of light?
Human's abilities to perceive light is quite limited. Essentially, we have three type of light sensors that each give a linear signal, and if two different light sources give the same signals they ...
- 12.7k
4
votes
0
answers
239
views
FTL by exploiting the frame rate of reality [closed]
I'm considering a possible method of FTL travel for my science fiction universe. I stumbled upon this Quora post which supported a concept that I had.
Does it make sense to liken the inverse of ...
5
votes
3
answers
605
views
What is the feasibility of building a computer with small animals? [closed]
Obviously I'm not looking for practicality, but more curious if it would work. If mice(or something else small) classically conditioned to press a button when they saw a certain light or heard a ...
- 97
-4
votes
1
answer
141
views
Escaping a computer [closed]
If we were all part of a very advanced simulation system, where none of us actually existed, but where just sentient computer programs, how could we gain control over the main computer, or is this ...
- 107
-5
votes
2
answers
205
views
Is there a possibility for electricity to go through a computer screen? [closed]
The picture below shows the main idea to my question. That is manipulated electricity makes an attempt to go through a monitor screen. The AI must have sent something tiny enough, like electrons or ...
0
votes
2
answers
166
views
Quantum Computer Sizes [closed]
Is there a (minimum) size limit for a quantum computer? I know that current computers can only go so small due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, but would this affect quantum computers?
- 107
4
votes
5
answers
836
views
Computers without semi-conductor technology
So I've been thinking up a (alt-history)setting that aims to be a classic space opera, with the caveat that it will be completely hard science, with the only handwaving being what technologies do or ...
- 569
70
votes
24
answers
19k
views
In a world with very advanced computer science, how would people be taught sufficient programming skills?
In this world, a few hundred years have gone by since the invention of the first computer and the field of CS has been developed to the point were people are hardly aware hardware exists. Most people ...
user44285
62
votes
38
answers
17k
views
Why would technology dictate graphical interfaces to be rare on spaceships?
This question differs from that question in that the other question is asking about a change in history while this question is looking for a change in the future.
In a near future setting I am ...
- 12.1k
3
votes
3
answers
419
views
How can I enforce the use of CRT monitors?
For reference:
I am thinking of a story where travel between worlds exists, but people have to "start over" on each world. So they can't just take their current computers to a new world. The monitors ...
-1
votes
2
answers
119
views
What's a possible reason why someone might need to teach another person how to program? [closed]
In schools teachers teach because it's their job.
Parents teach their children things because they want the best for their offspring.
What would be a good reason why one person/friend may want (or ...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
189
views
How can a man forced to fix a computer send a warning that he is being held hostage while being closely watched by a non-programmer [closed]
My character is a Master's student in computer science. He stumbled upon a sort of mini-terrorist cell trying to cause trouble and is now being held hostage by them. They are trying to run a virus ...
- 33.5k
-5
votes
6
answers
218
views
What would happen if an Ever learning Hacking A.I were to hack an Ever learning Security A.I? [closed]
It's the 2040s and the rebels have decided to hack into the evil 1984 big brother government's Identity system. So Since the process of using human hacker's would be way too tedious to combat the ...
- 1,505
-2
votes
1
answer
181
views
What material would a future civilisation's computer chips be made from? [closed]
Is it plausible or even conceivable that some material would offer superior properties for usage in semiconductors or microprocessors?
Could silicon chips ever be replaced by chips made by other ...
- 165
-3
votes
1
answer
93
views
What is a nanocomputer processing node? [closed]
I came across this future science term and I need to know what it is and what it does. Here's a link to it in the book I found.
https://books.google.com/books?id=luCFTmzpZIkC&pg=PA205&lpg=...
- 869
0
votes
1
answer
125
views
Could this algorithm be inaccurate or cause ethical problems? [closed]
Say a company in my future world has an algorithm that can evaluate and hire job candidates? Would this potentially cause problems like bias or hire people unfairly? Could it also be unreliable?
- 869
5
votes
9
answers
2k
views
What fields of computer science would change in a world with mechanical computers?
In this world, after Babbage designed his analytical engine, research lead to developpement of mechanical computers based on Babbage's model but with tinier and tinier metal pieces (going on the ...
- 61
2
votes
4
answers
324
views
In a VR-MMORPG, how might the game's publishers be able to maintain life-like NPCs?
Taking something like the anime Log Horizon as an example, where NPCs (non-player characters) are essentially humans, but in a game (let's wave our hands and say that the tech is available for making ...
0
votes
5
answers
214
views
What would happen if humans can no longer make standard / high performance computer processors? [closed]
I am wondering what would happen if humans could no longer manufacture high-end computer processors. I am thinking about still being able to create processors similar to those used in space crafts, ...
- 193
-3
votes
4
answers
451
views
Our brain is a very powerful signal processor, what's stopping us from creating computers to emulate [closed]
Our brain is a very powerful signal processor. It takes input (memories, senses, ...) and produces output (actions, thoughts, any decision). It only soaks in data and creates patterns to make decision ...
- 95
12
votes
12
answers
3k
views
Technology that steals memories
There is a device in my story that »steals« memories from a person (I had some sort of transmitter in mind, but this can easily be modified, as long as it uses powerful long-range signals to achieve ...
- 299
4
votes
4
answers
505
views
How would quantum computers be safely released to the world?
My understanding of quantum computers is that because of their theoretical vastly superior processing speeds, brute-forcing your way through securely encrypted software would become feasible, ...
- 91
26
votes
10
answers
7k
views
Realistic 'hacks' that programmer may exploit in a brand new FTL comm system that was not securely written?
In my world one company has had a monopoly on FTL comms, making large beacons in each inhabited system. This company has worked to prevent knowledge that smaller FTL comms were possible, in order to ...
- 33.5k
2
votes
4
answers
532
views
How physically small can human intelligence get?
A common trope in science fiction is the idea that a human's consciousness and intelligence can be downloaded onto a computer. I recently had the idea that maybe in some apocalyptic scenario, ...
- 350
2
votes
3
answers
495
views
Figuring out how enemy computers work from their game consoles?
Is it possible for a resourceful country to understand how enemy computers work, assuming they have easy access only to enemies game consoles?
The situations is as following:
CPU/GPU with unknown ...
- 1,081
-1
votes
5
answers
328
views
How do i regulate fake avatars in my VR-MMORPG? [closed]
I am the developer of Feudal souls, a fantasy open world VR-game with 2 million of players. My game is very big. Players constructed small towns in the first year and killed only 1 boss.
Now is the ...
- 4,544
-4
votes
1
answer
181
views
Is there a possibility for an AI to literally touch a computer screen? [closed]
As you can see, the AI is knocking on the computer screen. You can hear the knocks coming from the computer screen. I have two possible answers and I want to know if they are possible. One is how ...
4
votes
3
answers
315
views
How to visualize orbits
There are spaceships. They have powerful and efficient engines, but not powerful and efficient enough to ignore gravity or delta V issues.
Sometimes they battle each other in complex systems (like a ...
- 6,391
1
vote
3
answers
155
views
How would an alien race that seeded life on a planet let their presence be known at a certain point in time?
Imagine an advanced alien race that seeded a planet with species capable of written communication. While the alien race is on the planet for a few generations it wants to remain mostly hidden from the ...
- 121
14
votes
6
answers
1k
views
What would a hand-powered medieval computer need to be feasible?
To clarify, I'm not talking about electronic computation. Instead, the question is as to what barriers would prevent a medieval society from building something in the vein of a Jacquard Loom, or ...
- 357
17
votes
19
answers
7k
views
Quantum Based AI getting around Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"
I am building a story where there is a rogue AI. However, that AI was under the governance of Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, ...
- 329
0
votes
2
answers
292
views
Space Travel with Volatile Memory
For this question, let's say we have a space faring civilization. They are at least 100 years more advanced than us, and are drawing up plans to send colonists to a neighboring star.
The catch is, ...
- 2,468
-4
votes
6
answers
903
views
Is it possible for an AI to work in a computer without the power cord being plugged in? [closed]
As you can see, the AI is active on the computer without the use of a power cord. I thought about a possibility on how AI can manipulate electrons to generate electricity(creating its own power ...
-12
votes
2
answers
787
views
Could internet cookies turn into malicious A.I. that could launch nuclear missiles?
Nowadays many websites used internet cookies which is in fact a piece of code or a script that can store user data and other preferences, it usually cannot be executed by itself think of it like your ...
- 46.8k
57
votes
26
answers
8k
views
Designing Hacking Arrows
How would you design a piercing projectile (arrows, bullets, shurikens, etc) that can deliver a payload of malicious software to a computer that it is shot into?
Although it is rather silly and ...
- 1,286
8
votes
10
answers
5k
views
How does one program an AI?
My team of researchers has created an AI to increase human suffering and the machine has started earning money on the market. The ministry of economics has sent a technician to review the machine and ...
- 237
9
votes
4
answers
10k
views
For how long would electricity and internet be avaliable if all but one human on Earth were gone?
In my story all humans except one vanished suddenly. This one received the gift of immortality and is now alone in this world.
Considering that the world is identical to ours. How much time does this ...
- 661
5
votes
5
answers
355
views
How much computer memory is needed to store a physical profile of all living people?
My story needs a computer program that has complete physical profiles for all 7 billion of us. By complete, I mean all basic vital signs/functions in real time. (I'm hand-waving how we'd monitor those ...
- 51
15
votes
8
answers
3k
views
How could a server explode? [closed]
In short: there are a few servers in a small server room. Being cheap general not-really-business-oriented machines, they did not necessarily have good safety features from the beginning, and what's ...
- 153
6
votes
6
answers
513
views
How would floating point numbers be affecting space and time travel in future?
Each technology, that is evolving, begins with simple piece of programming code that starts with variables of certain data types. It is interesting to note that many calculative and computing ...
- 662
37
votes
19
answers
7k
views
How can I keep the computers on my spaceship from temperature related death after a hull breach?
Spaceships are a peculiar thing. We've got them in all forms, sizes & colours. They have vast computers needed to do all the real-time calculations required for astrogation.
Assuming our ...
- 12.1k
-3
votes
4
answers
191
views
Would quantum computer be considered an intelligent lifeform if its decision making algorithm is as unpredictable as a human? [closed]
Say Apple, Microsoft, Google, IBM, etc. join forces to create a quantum computer that is capable of generating true random numbers, in other words nothing known to science would be able to predict the ...
- 46.8k
67
votes
36
answers
25k
views
How could I have modern computers without GUIs?
Even though text-based terminals still see specialty use cases, modern general-purpose computers generally run graphical software and have a graphical user interface (GUI). This includes everything ...
- 28.9k
6
votes
3
answers
923
views
A supercomputer around the sun
I wish to build a sort of Dyson swarm around the sun. Not to transmit energy, but to put supercomputers in each satellite so they can calculate spatial trajectories.
The main idea of the project is ...
- 3,294
34
votes
19
answers
5k
views
Which current networking protocol would be the optimal choice for very small FTL bandwidth?
Possibly a dumb and outsider question, but my knowledge in the basics of computer networks is terrible.
Imagine the possibly not too original concept, that humanity somehow manages to transmit data ...
- 5,356
2
votes
3
answers
655
views
Post-apocalyptic... Rasberry Pi with Linux distribution?
Some time ago I asked about redesigning computer from scratch in post-apocalyptic setting. Nevertheless such approach may seem a bit like reinventing the wheel... So I'd try to look at the same issue ...
- 10.1k
16
votes
26
answers
4k
views
Limit computation technology in a futuristic society
I'm wondering what kind of events or limitations would be needed in a science fiction society hundreds of years into the future in order limit computational advances to the level of the early 70's to ...
- 3,262