In Wang Qi’s impression, a Magic Artifact was inevitably an object inscribed with a Magic Seal. The Mana of a Cultivator was converted through the material of the Magic Artifact and then structured by the Magic Seal to produce a special effect—for a simple analogy, a Magic Artifact should be a piece of equipment with a Skill, with the MP consumption paid for by the owner!
When Wang Qi gave such an answer to Zhen Chan, Zhen Chan’s tone was filled with contempt, "Kid, you skipped all your Artifact Refining classes, didn’t you?"
Wang Qi was nonchalant, "Ultimately, Artifact Refining is a side branch, a ’technique’. The theory of Artifact Refining might rise one level, but it cannot reach the level of ’Magic’. What’s truly crucial is the ’Dao’. Any breakthrough in the Dao of Heavenly Material Circulation and the Dao of Property Transformation might lead to an upgrade and replacement in the entire field of Artifact Refining."
The development of physical theories could drive the evolution of power sources and mechanical systems, while breakthroughs in chemical theories were tantamount to breakthroughs in materials and fuels. On Earth, the inventor of the steam engine was Watt, indeed. But behind Watt were theorists like Newton, Lagrange, and others. Without Faraday and Maxwell’s breakthroughs in electromagnetic theory, the likes of Edison and Tesla would merely be second-rate engineers.
This is the power of theory!
However, Wang Qi spoke with conviction and a boiling passion, yet Zhen Chan punctured his enthusiasm with a single sentence, "It’s mainly because Artifact Refining isn’t part of the compulsory exam scope, right?"
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Wang Qi chuckled, "Anyway, that’s how I understood Magic Artifacts before. You told me the same thing a few years ago."
"Nonsense! Even an Ancient Method Practitioner like me, who has only listened to one or two classes, wouldn’t think that way!"
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"Cough cough, anyway, I indeed made a mistake of empiricism and dogmatism."
"Experience? How many years have you been cultivating, how many years have you sought the Dao, and how many Magic Artifacts have you handled?"
"All my preconceptions were taught by you!"
"Cough cough." This time it was Zhen Chan’s turn to cough twice, "So, what about the structure of this calculator you’re analyzing?"
"The Yin Yang Yao as the processor. This piece of jade itself has the ability to store Spirit Sense; it’s the storage device," Wang Qi nodded, "This is what I’ve roughly figured out... There should also be the controller, input device, and output device three parts, huh..."
Having said that, Wang Qi’s gaze started to drift again, "There should be three of them, huh... Where are they..."
Zhen Chan was a bit puzzled, "How do you know there are three more?"
Wang Qi casually pulled a book from the table, "It says so in this book, there’s no need for you to probe deeper since you don’t understand it anyway... The remaining Talisman Seals should be executing the functions of these three, but why..."
Watching Wang Qi fall into deep thought again, Zhen Chan silently sighed. It seemed this young man was indeed quite suited for Cultivation of the Modern Immortal Path. The old man shifted his focus back to the book Wang Qi had tossed aside.
"Soul Theory of Calculators," written by Feng Luoyi.
The Talisman Artifact that Su Junyu had gifted, though only a Talisman Artifact, could be considered the crystallization of Modern Immortal Path technology of the last two hundred years. The structure adopted by Qi was known as the Von Structure in Shenzhou, exactly the "Von Neumann Structure" mentioned on Earth.
If the mathematical and mechanical issues regarding the Von Structure were to be studied in-depth, it could easily fill several academic monographs. However, the core essence of Von Structure boiled down to three points.
The five structures: processor, controller, storage device, input device, and output device.
The use of binary system.
Programs are considered specially processed data, with data and programs stored together.
As long as these aspects are met, that computer could be deemed a Von Neumann Machine.
"Tsk tsk, this structure looks somewhat... No wonder, the Jade Token is a whole unit, not made of components, in this case..."
Wang Qi grew more fascinated as he delved deeper, marveling at the miraculous structure.
The Technology Tree of Shenzhou differed from Earth’s. Here, they didn’t particularly value machinery with complex structures. Thanks to this, Sects mainly researching classical mechanics like Elemental Power Sect and those starting from Mechanical Techniques like Thousand Mechanism Pavilion could only be regarded as first or second-rate, far from being able to compare to the Five Uniques.
Most functions of electronic components were replaced by Magic Seals. Here, the logic circuits that switch on and off were transformed into Yin Yang Yao. An even greater change lay in the bus system.
Shenzhou had no concept of "electrical wires" or "conductors". A stable Spirit Energy Field connected all parts of this calculator. All information was propagated and operated through this Spirit Energy Field.
In the Von Neumann Structure, "data bus" and "address bus" were composed of different levels of the Spirit Energy Field. Here, two wires equated to one Spirit Energy Field.
To Wang Qi, it was a very peculiar design. The most commonly used architecture in Shenzhou.
The difference in computer technology between the two worlds was just like the difference between the worlds themselves. On the surface, they appeared to be completely different things, but if one analyzed the underlying principles, they were strikingly similar. Yet, these two sets of closely aligned principles often diverged at critical junctures.
A wonderful contradiction and unity.
Comparing the architecture of two civilizations from two different worlds excited Wang Qi immensely. He grinned from ear to ear as he furiously scribbled down something.
Zhen Chan wondered, "I remember you said that all calculators were derived from the Magical Treasure ’Bronze Immortal’, which was a prototype suggested by Elder Ji Turing. Why then is this calculator also based on Feng Luoyi’s Von Structure?"
"The Von Structure and Turing Architecture aren’t mutually exclusive," Wang Qi casually remarked. "This calculator is both a Turing Architecture and a Von Structure."
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Wang Qi’s mind.
Wait, what did I just say?
The Turing machine and Von Neumann Machine aren’t contradictory.
The main content of the Turing machine is a computational model and the concept of computable numbers. The main content of the Von Neumann machine lies in the five structures.
The former is a simulation of human brain computation; the latter is the engineering implementation of the former.
The Turing machine is clay; the Von Neumann machine is the brick that has already been fired.
That is to say...
The Turing machine and Von Neumann machine are not contradictory!
Wang Qi abruptly stood up, "The Magic Foundation of the Von Structure!"
The Von Neumann machine is an engineering implementation of the Turing machine, meaning some adjustments on the Bronze Immortal Fairy Foundation were all that were needed...
Wait a moment, while the Von Neumann machine is surely a classic, it still suffers from the "Von Neumann Bottleneck". Earth scientists have already pointed out the deficiencies of this structure.
However, regardless of how computers evolve, they inevitably fall within the Turing structure just like the model they were originally based on. Future computer developments also build upon the foundation of the Von Neumann Structure! The most classic part of the Von Structure still lies in the distinction between the processor, controller, storage device, input device, and output device. Whether it’s a quantum computer or a data flow computer, they all play within these overarching concepts!
Excitedly Wang Qi slapped the table, "This burst of Inspiration is worth ’following the example of the sages’!"
"Hasn’t this meme been played out already..."