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Hot?

Hot?

Posted Oct 4, 2007 13:14 UTC (Thu) by ekj (subscriber, #1524)
In reply to: Hot? by ncm
Parent article: Memory part 2: CPU caches

Actually, that's not true. Bolzmanns constant sets an absolute, physical, lower limit on the amount of power that is needed for causing a permanent lasting state-change. (such a flipping a single bit)

Granted, that limit is *very* low. But it's not zero. I calculated some time back (if you're sufficiently interested, google it) that if we continue doubling computing-power we'll run up against this hard physical limit in aproximately 15-20 years.

That's a long time in computing. But it's not forever. It's short enough that most of us will get to experience it.

Oh yeah, I'm aware of reversible computing. I just don't think that'll go anywhere. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.


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