What major engineering difficulty was inherent in managing the 'carry' operation on the Stepped Reckoner?
Answer
The time taken for the carry to propagate was dependent on the physical mechanics themselves.
The mechanical complexity of the carry operation meant its propagation time was determined by the physical constraints of gear engagement, creating a physical bottleneck, comparable to a slow ripple-carry adder.
#Videos
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, 1672, demonstration video - YouTube
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