Sept 26, 1983...the day the world almost ended
-
Even ignoring the risk of a warhead being a dud, a limited decapitation strike would require hitting targets to far apart for mirvs to reach from a single missle. In the US at an absolute minimum both DC and Cheyenne mountain (norad) would need taken out, probably several other sites would need hit as well. The soviet union was even more geographically dispersed. Ultimately all the AFBs, naval ports, and missle silos would need taken out to keep local commanders from retaliating either on the orders of the remainder of hte chain of command or their own initiative, but a few launches (especially if one EMPed the C3I links) might be able to sneak in as a false alarm where a full out strike wouldn't be able to. The attacker could then hope to get the main strike in while the victim was still disorganized. Ultimately it would still have been a loosing game for the USSR to try and probably for the US as well due to the difficulty of getting all the SSBNs and the ability of even one to inflict massive damage. That does not however mean responding to it wouldn't be in the Burn Before Reading sections of the contingency plans that we'll never be able to see.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
dan neely wrote:
a loosing game for the USSR
Correction. A loosing game for everyone. Not called MAD for nothing.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Andy Brummer wrote:
Watson's law: As an online discussion of cars grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving the Bugatti Veyron approaches one.
-
Error in Soviet early warning system falsely detects US missle launch [^] In the end, Colonel Petrov trusted his instincts and declared the warnings to be a false alarm. Of course, he was correct. Later investigation would show that a software defect had caused the satellites to interpret light reflections from clouds as missile exhaust. Even in the Soviet Union, the IT people get all the blame when things don't work. Steve
Here you see how much error handling is importend :) Cheers
You have the thought that modern physics just relay on assumptions, that somehow depends on a smile of a cat, which isn’t there.( Albert Einstein)
-
martin_hughes wrote:
Two words - Buffer Overrun
Nope, won't work. Colossus is perfect in every way.... The computer center contains over one-hundred thousand remote sensors and communication devices which monitor all electronic transmissions, such as microwave, laser, radio and television communications, data communications from satellites in orbit all over the world. ... Colossus works completely without human aid. We make no secret of where Colossus is located nor do we intend to conceal how it functions. ... Colossus does have its own defense. It is its own defense. In case of an attack on any of its information supply or power lines Colossus will switch on energy circuits, which will then take their appropriate action. It is self-sufficient, self-protecting, self-generating. It is impenetrable. In short there's no way in. No human being can touch it. ... colossus can communicate with us ... and through this machine we can, in turn, communicate with colossus. Now there's one last point. One inevitable question. That we have been asked very frequently before. And that is, is Colossus capable of creative thought. Can it initiate new thought. I can tell you that the answer to that is no. However, Colossus is a paragon of knowledge and its knowledge can be expanded upon indefintely. I hope, along with all the scientsts who held make this particular project, that the immense power of this computer will not only be for the defense of this country but hopefully also a also as an aid to the solution to the many problems that we face on this earth. and the many more problems that we will face the more deeply we penetrate into the universe. Thank you.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Ah, so it's Colossus that's running the simulation! :suss:
-
Steve Mayfield wrote:
of real events to come
hardly. My computer is far more advanced than WOPR ever was, and holds more information to prevent this scenerio from happening. Due to it's scale and capabability, I have named it "Colossus" and it will prevent WarGames from ever occuring. ;P
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Ah, Mr. Forbin. And how is The Project going?
Software Zen:
delete this; -
martin_hughes wrote:
I'll simply dare it to drink a glass of water
Colossus: I do not seek to amuse humans...
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
-
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
-
Ah, Mr. Forbin. And how is The Project going?
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Oops :-O. My bad.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Error in Soviet early warning system falsely detects US missle launch [^] In the end, Colonel Petrov trusted his instincts and declared the warnings to be a false alarm. Of course, he was correct. Later investigation would show that a software defect had caused the satellites to interpret light reflections from clouds as missile exhaust. Even in the Soviet Union, the IT people get all the blame when things don't work. Steve
Also the day my wife turned 22. Coincidence? I think not! :laugh:
Software Zen:
delete this; -
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
DoubleWord wrote:
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
Sound suspiciously like Heinlein's "Last Question". Good story. Happy ending.
-
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
:confused:But it was just said that Colossus was in-capable of thought. One moment while God reboots... the flood was just a "blue screen of death".
Joel Data Integration Engineer www.Novaspect.com
-
DoubleWord wrote:
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
Sound suspiciously like Heinlein's "Last Question". Good story. Happy ending.
-
The Last Question was an Asimov story.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
-
dan neely wrote:
The Last Question was an Asimov story.
Noted. Another great author. My apologies to the men and the fans of both.
-
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
DoubleWord wrote:
A million years after mankind had destroyed itself Colossus decided it wanted a companion. A million years later it came up with the solution and said; Let There Be Light....
And here all this time I thought it was "42" ? :cool: Dave while (!sleep) { sheep++ }
-
martin_hughes wrote:
I'll simply dare it to drink a glass of water
Colossus: I do not seek to amuse humans...
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Have Colussus answer these questions: 1. What's the difference between a duck? 2. What is the meaning of life? 3. Why does Murphy's Law work? 4. Do you (Colussus) have a soul? 5. Why haven't squirrels evolved enough not to get run over by cars? 6. Is there a numbering system where Pi is finite? What is "unity" in that numbering system?
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.
-
Even ignoring the risk of a warhead being a dud, a limited decapitation strike would require hitting targets to far apart for mirvs to reach from a single missle. In the US at an absolute minimum both DC and Cheyenne mountain (norad) would need taken out, probably several other sites would need hit as well. The soviet union was even more geographically dispersed. Ultimately all the AFBs, naval ports, and missle silos would need taken out to keep local commanders from retaliating either on the orders of the remainder of hte chain of command or their own initiative, but a few launches (especially if one EMPed the C3I links) might be able to sneak in as a false alarm where a full out strike wouldn't be able to. The attacker could then hope to get the main strike in while the victim was still disorganized. Ultimately it would still have been a loosing game for the USSR to try and probably for the US as well due to the difficulty of getting all the SSBNs and the ability of even one to inflict massive damage. That does not however mean responding to it wouldn't be in the Burn Before Reading sections of the contingency plans that we'll never be able to see.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
An of course the subsequent cloud of radioactive debris blowing around the world would have no effect on launchers of those missles, right? There's a name for this kind of logic: MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). It's a no-win situation for everyone, and for the planet.
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.
-
martin_hughes wrote:
Two words - Buffer Overrun
Nope, won't work. Colossus is perfect in every way.... The computer center contains over one-hundred thousand remote sensors and communication devices which monitor all electronic transmissions, such as microwave, laser, radio and television communications, data communications from satellites in orbit all over the world. ... Colossus works completely without human aid. We make no secret of where Colossus is located nor do we intend to conceal how it functions. ... Colossus does have its own defense. It is its own defense. In case of an attack on any of its information supply or power lines Colossus will switch on energy circuits, which will then take their appropriate action. It is self-sufficient, self-protecting, self-generating. It is impenetrable. In short there's no way in. No human being can touch it. ... colossus can communicate with us ... and through this machine we can, in turn, communicate with colossus. Now there's one last point. One inevitable question. That we have been asked very frequently before. And that is, is Colossus capable of creative thought. Can it initiate new thought. I can tell you that the answer to that is no. However, Colossus is a paragon of knowledge and its knowledge can be expanded upon indefintely. I hope, along with all the scientsts who held make this particular project, that the immense power of this computer will not only be for the defense of this country but hopefully also a also as an aid to the solution to the many problems that we face on this earth. and the many more problems that we will face the more deeply we penetrate into the universe. Thank you.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
This sounds like something out of a Robert A. Heinlien novel. Maybe there is a movie that can be made of your story.
-
Have Colussus answer these questions: 1. What's the difference between a duck? 2. What is the meaning of life? 3. Why does Murphy's Law work? 4. Do you (Colussus) have a soul? 5. Why haven't squirrels evolved enough not to get run over by cars? 6. Is there a numbering system where Pi is finite? What is "unity" in that numbering system?
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.
tsdragon wrote:
Is there a numbering system where Pi is finite? What is "unity" in that numbering system?
Pinary. unity is the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle in the euclidean plane.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
-
An of course the subsequent cloud of radioactive debris blowing around the world would have no effect on launchers of those missles, right? There's a name for this kind of logic: MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). It's a no-win situation for everyone, and for the planet.
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.
The opfor launchers would've been an issue. The launch pattern wasn't launch a few nukes to decapitate permanently, the end. It was launch a few nukes to briefly decapitate/paralyze, launch a massive counterforce strike to destroy the entire opfor inventory. Subs would've been the biggest problem. Back in the 60's the yankee class SSBNs that the USSR had patrolling the Atlantic almost universally had a US SSN covertly tailing them, so at that time we had a chance of being able to pull it off if 60s era guidance was accurate enough to target a silo (I'm not sure it was). The Delta and Typhon class boats that replaced them were armed with much longer ranged missles and stayed much closer to Soviet territory. How effective we were at operating in those areas hasn't been publicly released. The Helen-Keller sonar the soviets had until the 80s left them unable to do the same against our older boats. By that time though the Ohio class SSBNs were operating and they are supposed to be virtually impossible to track in deep water even in exercises when the hunters are clued in about where to look. It never was a good plan, and the number of silos was large enough that duds/misses would've made a 100% strike almost impossible anyway. The last time it would've been possible was the 50's when neither side had storable nukes. The US had a 45day leadtime on a major attack the USSR 60; the delay was to convert the stockpiles of fissionables into functioning bombs.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.