Are 1's and 0's Best for Computers?

To me, the tiniest circular dot raised slightly should represent 1, and the tiniest circular dot should represent 0. When, if ever, will this change be made?

Its already changed, here are a few examples:

Quantum Computers: They use a system of 1, 0 and BOTH. This gives a 3 system. The system works exponentially.

DNA Computers: DNA is the most complex of all information that can be stored. They have computers that work with the use of DNA for function. This is the most efficient of current computers (that is unknown to the public).

DNA is also used to store data. The amount of instructions DNA can hold is more than that of the number of atoms that are held in the entire universe. This is because of the complex combinations that DNA can have.

Kind Regards
Merger

Originally posted by GreatTech
To me, the tiniest circular dot raised slightly should represent 1, and the tiniest circular dot should represent 0. When, if ever, will this change be made?

Uhmmmmm... wow.

Actually, it's done with electrical states and you have to be able to measure them precisely. Zero voltage is the "0" bit and +5 volts is a "1" bit. ( www.allaboutcircuits.com... )

These are put into circuits in many combinations (IFs, ANDs, NANDs, NORs) called "gates" and those things build the basic "word set" of a chip. ( en.wikipedia.org... ) From that "word set" (really a bunch of 1's and zeroes'), we codify onto that a language "Assmebler" that's just a few steps above writing 10 01 11 11 11 10 00 11 11 01 10 for instructions. ( en.wikipedia.org... )

Assmebler is the basis for other compiled languages like C and Visual Basic and Fortran and a lot of other things. en.wikipedia.org...

I'm really really really glossing over 5 years of computer engineering studies in college.

But, as you see, things aren't that simple. And no, it's not realistic to use (say) 1, 2, and 3 volts because a tiny drop in power means that you are at 1.5 volts... and the system has no way of knowing if you meant that to be a 1 or a 2.

[edit on 28-12-2005 by Byrd]

Byrd,

Yes, i remember all them concepts during my diploma of IT.. (AND, ORS, NORS etc..) gave me quite a headache actually....I never actually grasped the concept when doing assignments though, my diagrams were enormous, where they could have been much smaller. I passed though.

Kind Regards
Merger

Consider me computer illiterate but my point was that language or instructions are best installed in the smallest possible space: the tiniest circular dot for nothing and slightly larger circular dots for other forms of meaning.

Originally posted by GreatTech
Consider me computer illiterate but my point was that language or instructions are best installed in the smallest possible space: the tiniest circular dot for nothing and slightly larger circular dots for other forms of meaning.

Ok buddy, I don't know if you quite understand, the "1's and 0's" are NOT symbols, they are electrical currents inside a _______(transistor?)

what can be physically made smaller is the container of the electricity, but at the stage your making a container as small as an electron itself(or before hand my knowledge of the behaviour of subatomic particles is nil lol) the electron starts doing all sorts of peculiar things