The CPU built with redstone circuitry can load code into its RAM and even print results on a screen.

Last October, I showed you guys a simple CPU that a user named "theinternetftw" created in Minecraft that used torches to ignite redstone wires to add numbers and output that information as binary code. Now, a Minecraft player known as Salaja has created an even more complex machine that is capable of loading 16 lines of code into its RAM, and then performing operations before displaying the results on a screen in hexadecimal notation. In one example video, Salaja loads the "division program" and then successfully divides 9 by 5. The only downfall is that the computation takes a little while for the charge on the redstone to travel, but Salaja's home-designed computer within a computer game is still quite a mind-boggling feat.

"I only had a basic understanding of logic gates, flipflops, and adders before starting this project," Salaja said when asked how he learned all this jiggery-pokery. "I built it step by step, adding whatever I thought it need. I didn't follow any existing cpu architecture, so it is possible that mine is completely unique."

The entire computer took over a month of real time for Salaja to complete. It took a lot of trial and error, but he may have come up with a way to build Minecraft CPUs (I can't believe that's actually a term now) in a new way. Not all of it was easy. "Another thing that I've done, but I don't know if it's unique, is that my buses are verticle. This means that they are only 1 block wide, but it does make my cpu very high," Salaja said. "I died many times by falling from the top."

I totally respect what Salaja has done and even if his knowledge of computer science and architecture goes totally over my head, I'm happy that stuff like this exists. It's also an interesting idea for there to be "breakthroughs" in fake computer building within a computer game. Will we start to see competing designs? Will there be an Intel vs. AMD war within Minecraft?!

Source: Minecraft Forums

Thanks to Tharwen for the tip!