[prajeshbhat]

Individual PCs my have been miniaturized, but the manufacturing process is certainly not. These days, the manufacturing of every single PC requires a global supply chain.

It's true that the mass manufacturing and cheap Chinese labor has brought the cost of individual computers down considerably. The energy required to manufacture an individual PC is also considerably less than the 1970's.

A more important question is this. What kind of technological inputs are required to manufacture a modern PC. Can you manufacture all the necessary components (starting with the microprocessor) and assemble them locally. I doubt if we can even manufacture an 8085 that way. It requires thousands of highly experienced PhD's and engineers to design, develop and manufacture a contemporary PC. Not to mention the huge advanced factories and large number of laborers needed in the manufacturing of every component. The demand has to be perpetually expanding for any operation to continue at this scale.

[Keith_McClary]

Factory is where our computers eat up most energy physorg.com

Williams and his collaborators find that 227 to 270 kilograms (or 500 to 594 pounds) of carbon dioxide are emitted in manufacturing a laptop computer.
...
"The carbon emissions that resulted from supplying the demand in the United States for laptop computers in 2002 is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions from driving 676,000 automobiles," Babbitt says.
The research study shows that as much as 70 percent of the energy needed to make and operate a typical laptop computer throughout its life span is used in manufacturing the computer.

[anonymous1]

If you want to convert any unit from any unit then you must try this unit converter.

[vtsnowedin]

If you take that high figure of 600 lbs of CO2 per computer and compare to 20 lbs. of CO2 from burning a gallon of gas you get 30 gallons per computer. Then you have making all the computers in a year being equal to the Annual emissions (had to read the article to find the "annual figure) of 676,000 autos so compared to the 289 million vehicles on US roads that equals just 0.2% of vehicle emissions.
A tempest in a tea cup for sure.
I'll add that the local chip foundry owned by Global foundries is negotiating with the PUC to become it's own electric utility and import it's Canadian hydro power without going through Green Mountain Power. So at least the energy used to make the chips can be renewable.

[Doly]

Can you manufacture all the necessary components (starting with the microprocessor) and assemble them locally. I doubt if we can even manufacture an 8085 that way.

I work in electronics, and I can tell you that the answer is definitely not. Even if you were trying to manufacture an 8085 today, assuming you had all the relevant schematics, you'd be hard pressed to find the relevant components because many would be obsolete by now (and they wouldn't be made locally but probably come from Asia). And even a the circuit board requires a digital file to be produced these days. It's getting harder and harder to find a manufacturer that will make circuit boards with the old lithographic methods.

[Newfie]

How much is used mining crypto?

[vtsnowedin]

How much is used mining crypto?

I have no idea but as it just produces "rat poison" it is just a complete waste of energy.
Computers on the other hand provide enormous utility we have become dependent on.
If and when oil declines building computers and chips will be one of the last things we use oil for.

[Newfie]

Decided to look it up. Bitcoin alone uses more than Argentina.

But crypto has a dirty little secret that is very relevant to the real world: it uses a lot of energy. How much energy? Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, currently consumes an estimated 150 terawatt-hours of electricity annually — more than the entire country of Argentina, population 45 million. Producing that energy emits some 65 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually — comparable to the emissions of Greece — making crypto a significant contributor to global air pollution and climate change.

https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/ ... cy-energy/

Much ado about nothing.

[mousepad]

Can you manufacture all the necessary components (starting with the microprocessor) and assemble them locally. I doubt if we can even manufacture an 8085 that way.

Manufacturing 8086 and probably even 80386 seems achievable with fairly limited technology.
Heck, a lonely dude was able to manufacture a 1200 transistor chip in his home lab.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/man-b ... ip-at-home

PCB manufacturing is even simpler. Plenty of hobbyist out there doing it either to save money or for the kicks.

[theluckycountry]

How much is used mining crypto?

Computers on the other hand provide enormous utility we have become dependent on.

Yes, we are dependent, but the promised future where we'd all be sipping a Pina Colarda under shady tree failed to arrive. All computers have done in reality is take a world that was doing just fine thank you very much and turned it into one were a blackout brings everything to a screeching halt.

I remember shopping at the supermarket in a blackout in the 1980's, they took us one by one around with torches and at the checkout the girl (it was always a girl then) added up the price tags with a pad and pen. Impossible today,
A/ no can do simple arithmetic
B/ there are no price tags.

[Doly]

All computers have done in reality is take a world that was doing just fine thank you very much and turned it into one were a blackout brings everything to a screeching halt.

And suddenly, the Butlerian Jihad of Dune, that back when it was written looked like such a crazy, far-out idea, starts making more and more sense. A world where computers get the blame for screwing up civilization doesn't seem so unbelievable now.

[Newfie]

How many gallons are wasted on various computer games and other mind numbing soma?

[vtsnowedin]

How many gallons are wasted on various computer games and other mind numbing soma?

Excellent question. I have no facts but I'm sure it is a huge amount not even accounting for the lost productivity from those that play while they are at work.
Soma? Have not heard or read that in fifty years. Need to find a cute Beta babe for the next Soma holiday.

[Newfie]

Apparently the original SOMA was an ancient Indian drink from 2,000 BC.

[vtsnowedin]

Apparently the original SOMA was an ancient Indian drink from 2,000 BC.

Well it is past it's sell by date then.