> I remember seeing a paper referenced here once explaining why that energy loss is actually necessary, but I don't seem to have it saved anymore.
Taking a stab at explaining the energy loss…
When computing you are reducing local entropy (e.g. achieving a certain pattern of electric charges in chips and a certain pattern of pixels on the screen) while still increasing global entropy (the second law of thermodynamic). Heat dissipation from the local system to its surroundings accounts for the difference.
This is analogous to Schrodinger’s description of life where life forms increase the entropy of their surroundings to maintain their own low entropy.
Taking a stab at explaining the energy loss…
When computing you are reducing local entropy (e.g. achieving a certain pattern of electric charges in chips and a certain pattern of pixels on the screen) while still increasing global entropy (the second law of thermodynamic). Heat dissipation from the local system to its surroundings accounts for the difference.
This is analogous to Schrodinger’s description of life where life forms increase the entropy of their surroundings to maintain their own low entropy.