On 23 Mar 2007 21:01:29 -0700, "Radium"
wrote:

Hi:

I wonder if it is possible to design a PC that does not reqiure any
fans or discs.

yes, but do you really need it or is this just a novelty
idea or a passing fancy without real benefit?

A well designed system will not be loud, even inaudible with
fans. It will run cool if you select power efficient
components, and of course don't need modern performance
levels, or spend more time and money on the cooling
solution.



This computer uses RAM chips -- instead of magnetic discs -- in to
store information and does not need a CPU because each bit of
information is provided with a processing unit and its own memory.

It's starting to read like a daydream, not something you are
going to need let alone build.



This would make the PC run much faster and not need any fans or moving
parts.

False, mechanical/magnetic discs don't use a very high % of
system power, getting rid of one doesn't by itself allow
fanless or motionless. Do you need it to journey to outer
space? If not, you probably have a more modest # of years
life requirement.



It is entirely chip-based. Since each bit is provided with its
own memory and processing, this would prevent crashes or overheating
from occuring.


I hate to break it to you, but this is not some grand
vision, it is the obvious eventual evolution of computers,
mentioned time and time again.

The key here is that always wishing for some better future
tech is silly. If you can't make due with contemporary
tech, odds are that when that new tech finally comes to pass
you will still be having same kinds of thoughts, that the
(then) contemporary tech is not ideal and .... if only...
some thing changes... it's even better.

Being modern means using what is available to get the job
done, being able to use the technology instead of only
finding it problematic.



Also, couldn't a PC be built in such a way that it freshly generates
the correct electric signals ["on the fly"] instead of playing them
back from its ROM chips?

Its not that I don't like ROM. I was curious as to whether there is an
"on the fly" alternative that freshly-generates the electronic signals
[that are normally stored in ROMs] instead of playing them back from
the ROM.

No, a piece of silcon is dumb, awaiting instrucitons that
are pre-written.





There are sets of instructions stored in ROMs. In the case of a PC,
these instructions load before the CPU "knows" it has a hard drive or
other peripheral devices. Couldn't those instructions be generated in
real-time insteading of storing them?

Generated by what? You'd then need instructions for it to
generate the instructions, a bit like telling you to walk
over to the ringing phone, knowing that when you answer, it
will be my pre-recorded message telling you to go to the
store and get some bread and milk. It is pointless since I
could have just told you to get the bread and milk instead
of introducing the additional step.





I am aware that EEPROM is reliable, low power, customizable, reprogram-
able, cheap and proven. But just out of curiosity, my dream PC is hard-
coded [thus not needing any ROM] and also uses RAM chips -- instead of
magnetic discs -- in to store information and does not need a CPU
because each bit of information is provided with a processing unit and
its own memory. This would make the PC run much faster and not need
any fans or moving parts. It is entirely chip-based. Since each bit is
provided with its own memory and processing, this would prevent
crashes or overheating from occurring.


You have no dream PC, just fragments of concepts that are
not targeted towards anything in particular.

I recommend that you do as briefly suggested above, to
better learn to use the technology available. Let tomorrow
take care of itself unless you are the engineer being paid
to come up with these inventions.