We have the binary-digit "bit", and the quantum bit "qubit". The Greeks by contrast had the no-bit; if they needed to calculate the Celestial Spheres they used the Antikythereia or Ptolemy's Meteoroscope. This is the analogy method of computing, the analog-computer which our digital generation forgot was the UNIVAC mainframe. Asimov sort-of reminded us with the MULTIVAC but, well, Asimov was doing science-fiction. The analog-computer wasn't coming back outside retro toys like music-boxes and pinball.
Or maybe... it is? [h/t Nyrath]
Digital computers were brought into play for a number of reasons, like that mechanical orreries can't be reprogrammed like a Newton sim can, and that the mechanics needed power. Well, digital computers need power too and lately AI is demanding a lot of that power. As computers, ACs were imprecise. But, dude: doing algebra with roots was going to be imprecise anyway. Some calculations are supposed to be cheaper with quantum. It seems that others might just as well be done with analog.
The analog use-case I'd assumed would be environments physically unfit for fine-tuned digital components, like on Venus, back before SLS sucked up all the funding. Apparently running lots and lots of differential equations also works for analog, cheaper than digital. Well hello: weren't we recently discussing the Feynman Integral?
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