John
wibbled on Wednesday 13 January 2010 16:38


Ah the days when technology was understandable. when one felt that if
there was a major catastrophe and only a few survivors we could get things
up and running again using general engineering and electrical skills.

Anyone able to make an integrated circuit?

If we were starting from scratch minus 1 (ie it's all broken but one can go
scavaging parts and hacking stuff together) we could in principle still do
that. We don't need computers to make and run some sort of electricity
system or phone systems. We could go back to hacking relays and stuff
together. Those components can still be made by hand with basic machine
tools.

What would be perhaps less readily available are the people who can use
their hands. In the old days (whatever) there were undoubtedly many more
people who could smith and others with fabrication skills, who could make
amazing things with basic tools and simple lathes.

However, even at my last company (tiny) there was a basic combi
lathe/milling machine and a bloke who could use it.. Assuming there are a
lot of cases like that lurking around the country, I don't think it's all
doom and gloom.

I suspect we could reboot to the 1950's *relatively* quickly.

I suspect the bigger problem might be the fact the remaining population at
large are going to rather less useful with anything practical like rearing
sheep, clothes making , cooking and stuff like that compared to even 30
years ago.

Heck, you'd have to make getting TV on air after electricity a priority just
to broadcast enough EastEnders to keep them from roaming the streets.

--
Tim Watts

Icicles - nature's way of pinpointing all the leaks in your guttering...