Toward a Non-Electric Computer Network 4: Analog Vitality, and Problems

Some possible elements of a Non-Electro/Petrochemical/Nuclear/Nano Computer Network can be found in the development of analog computing devices like the Water Integrator or the MONIAC. See: http://theladg.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/analog-vitality/#comment-79. (Also see Paulo Blikstein's use of water  to create simple logic gates for [digital] computation at http://www.blikstein.com/paulo/projects/project_water.html.)

Obviously one of the difficulties for strictly mechanical or micromechanical computing -- or rather calculating -- is to be able to solve differential and linear equations accurately. (Remember that we are only at about a 1930 level in this field (problematic quantum mechanicals systems aside).) Vannevar Bush's differential analyzer in the '20s was no better than 98% accurate at solving differential equtions, and it was electromechanical. Zuse's Z1 (1938) was strictly mechanical, and he had the vital approach that a calculator/computer should be able to solve all equations, ie. be a general-purpose device, and should use binary math.  Also he and Schreyer built a memory. (So perhaps it's not stretching it too much to call the Z1 a computer.) But the Z1 didn't work very well, despite its brilliance.

So there needs to be work on accurate and rapid solution of differential and linear equations by strictly mechanical analog and binary/digital calculators. What a laugh!

Some sources:
Augarten, Stan (1984), Bit by Bit: An Illustrated History of Computers (New York: Ticknor and Fields).

Some Shortcomings:

Cite more sources for these historical statements, please!

Armchair stuff; little practical experience.