oh btw sicarius on the first page asked why cell phones are called that, if its a reference to imprisonment. some sciencey user said that the cell means the cell phones operate within cells.


for some extra etymological context:

the term cell in the meaning of self-contained groups, i.e. splinter cell, brain cell, terrorist cell, cell phone, derives from the discovery of cells through one of the first microscopes.

back in the 1600s one of the first people to use a microscope (van der hoek maybe? forgot the name) looked at a cork and saw lots of tiny little compartments - cells.

He named them cells because they reminded him of the cells in monasteries that monks live in.

The cells in monasteries and the cells in prisons are named the same thing for the same reason: they are stripped down rooms with basically a bed that you live in.

so indirectly, the two are still related.


fun facts i guess.

@warsprite - That would be correct on laptops and I know some of the old portable TVs ran on DC. But the power requirements for a modern laptop are such that the quantity of small D-cell batteries required to run it would make the box with the plug unwieldy. The reason laptops work on their batteries is the design of said battery is more efficient and capable of sustaining a greater charge than your basic alkaline cells. Then again, you'll spend $100+ to replace a laptop battery for a reason, and it isn't all manufacturer greed.

@Thucydides - Have you checked your PMs lately?

@Draugnar Who said anything about D-cells? The power supply in your desk top still puts out 3.3, 5, 12, and -12 volts DC . There is no reason why you could not adapt an PC to use a DC supply from what ever you want. Such as an auto battery, DC generator, or a unit that with an convertor built in, such an auto alternator.

lol MM i only check them about once a week... if that. but i checked it now.

I was talking about the plugin portable unit described above, but i guess it could be made from several laptop batteries run in parallel and a two way inverter.

@ Draugnar I was thinking more along line of by passing or removing your AC converter in your PC and use a DC distributer/DC to DC converter(for negative voltages). You would cut down on power loss, as compared converting DC to AC and than back again in the PC it self. Than using your vehicle's DC.

But you'd still have to regulate the voltage down to whatever voltage the PCs internals use. And on most laptops, the input is DC anyhow. The conversion takes place in an external power supply. Many manufacturers sell separate power adapters for cars and planes that are smaller and lighter weight because they just have to regulate the voltage.

does anybody know anything about permaculture? if you have to google it im not talking to you

I didn't google it, I wikipediad it - so *there*! ;)

No, but I know what permafrost is. Does that count?