The main problem with valves is their reliability. A secondary problem is the sheer size. Not only are transistors far more reliable, they are very much smaller by several orders of magnitude. To get some idea of the scale, the valve equivalent of a 32 GB iPhone would be bigger than the average family house and would, therefore, be anything but portable.
Valves, as used in an old wireless/radio, is not used in modern computers.
using valves
vaccum tubes and valves.
Probably rate of burnout and heat. But this was common to all vacuum tube computers, not just Colossus.
Probably rate of burnout and heat. But this was common to all vacuum tube computers, not just Colossus.
None. Valves are not used. Integrated circuits are now the mainstay of most electronic devices.
Because - when Colossus was built (in 1943), microchips had yet to be invented ! Microchips replaced valves and transistors in newer computers.
They haven't been replaced! Only now they are much smaller and switched on and off by nano-bots that receive instructions from user input.
Just like the valves used in valve stereo equipment or old radios. Except in computers (like the transistors in modern computers) valves are usually driven fully into saturation and cutoff, while in a valve stereo or old radio valves are usually operated as linear amplifiers with minimal distortion.
Using computers as an example, just whack it a few times until lights flash. You might discover a new 'undecidable' problem.
using valves
using valves