The Computer and temperature.
Having dealt with the Computer’s control, we can now try to describe the property of the data arrays stored in its memory.
What would happen with data actively handled by the processor? And what would happen with data just simply stored – or what if it is abandoned data? Probably, local activity of the processor should somehow be transmitted to other programs for them to work properly. The programs must know whether the processor is idle, partially engaged, or very busy. Why to bother your boss if he is busy with something? Not so smart… That’s why some sort of control mechanism was needed to constantly inform the programs of the processor’s state. How this mechanism works is not yet clear to me. Is there an extra control line where this information is transmitted, or do the programs calculate the activity on the basis of information taken from already known control lines? Currently the second option seems more likely to me. It also could be that a special higher ranking program provides the information via the standard control lines.
Why is it important to know of the processor’s activity? At the first glance, there is no particular need. But in fact, this information is very important, as it helps programs attempting to avoid being stopped, damaged or deleted. The high activity of the processor while handling a compressed file where the program is located, can lead to that program being damaged or deleted. So what to do? To run – if you can. On the other hand, the processor’s activity can be greatly reduced, or even the archive could be neglected in the memory for a long time or abandoned altogether. What should the program do in the archive? To run away as well; otherwise there is a virtual death caused by lack of activity. You can scream your heart out; but the processor won’t hear you – it has other tasks to do.
So it seems that a certain program needs some sort of processor activity. A bit less of the activity – and you’ve lost contact with the processor (ignored); a bit more of the activity – and your program code has been damaged (destruction). Clearly, most third level programs are forced to humbly wait for their fate, or their ability to escape is very limited. Here, perhaps, the borderline between live and dead matter is drawn, as we understand it. If a program in principle is not able to adapt to the processor’s activity, it is the dead matter. But something that is “kicking”, can probably be referred to the live matter.
And now let’s turn to the temperature. What do you think I’ve just described? The temperature, of course, the one that tells us: “don’t warm your hand in the oven, you idiot, or put the mittens on, otherwise you’ll get a frostbite”. The temperature is the information of the processor’s activity linked to a specific data array (file). It is still not quite clear to me how the information of the local temperature is distributed. Most likely, the programs themselves calculate the temperature value on the basis of the Processor’s activity transmitted through control lines. Forces of nature (the control lines) allow other programs to predict their future condition based on the local activity of the Processor.
As we have already mentioned earlier, not all programs are able to read in full the information transmitted through control lines. So, the data about the local temperature in Universe is usually limited for most third level programs.