The Difference Engine Virus

[juxtimon]

this is brilliant! i'ld love to see a whole hoarde of them photoshopped together (or as real objects   )

[dantes_torment]

Here's a sketch of the Anti-Virus. It's shown beside the virus to give a sense of scale.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It has to be that large in order to combat with the plethora of viruses that may exist in the Engine at any one time.

[Commander Obadiah]

That robot is how all robots should be.

Commander C. Obadiah

[RivetHead]

dantes_torment! Your design is brilliant!

[Chuzzlewit]

Nicely done

[Quebrith]

I love your work!

Wouldn't a virus self-replicate? And perhaps be able to add/delete cogs from one's difference engine? Perhaps you could make one that can replicate, with a sibling in some partial stage of completion...

Hmmm... viruses often replicate through the mail. I can foresee a version that can travel by pneumatic tube. Drat! Since my engine is connected to the Ætherweb, I needs must build a 'firewall'. I'd best put in an order for more coal.

[Klynt Mahryd]

Awesome, I can just imagine one of these buggers crawling around a giant mechanical computer, making little noises (maybe like Frenzy in the Transformers movie?) and finding the right gear to dislodge in order to create mass chaos!

[SteampunkBuilder]

...I'd imagine these to infest would be the acres of brass behemoths forever spinning information, from the book, "The Difference Engine".

Absotutely fantabularious!  I tip my pith helmet in salute to you and your fine work.

[Difference Engineer]

now I'm curious what one would use for antivirus. Maybe something similar but with a drill for piercing this little guy's eye?

I suspect that such a device would involve a stack of punch cards stitched together to prevent randomisation, a number of loops of brass or iron wire to ensnare the virii, and something akin to the pincer of a lobster or a smithy's pincer to crush the mechanisms flat.  Alternatively, a small metal brush could be used to prevent their clock-keys from unwinding, thus placing them into a halted state.

I rather like the idea of using the legs and tail of a deceased feline in the contraption to provide the necessary correspondences of speed, quickness, and most useful of all, hunting.

[Difference Engineer]

I must say, it is quite an honor to have my humble name attached to such a wonderful little creation.  Outstanding work!

now I'm curious what one would use for antivirus. Maybe something similar but with a drill for piercing this little guy's eye?

A big mallet inscribed with "Anitvirus"

My thoughts exactly. 

They would be a good excuse to carry a LART about the office whilst on duty.

[Difference Engineer]

Wouldn't a virus self-replicate? And perhaps be able to add/delete cogs from one's difference engine? Perhaps you could make one that can replicate, with a sibling in some partial stage of completion...

Such a mechanism could also punch new holes or plaster over older holes in punchcards found in load hoppers of difference engines.  That would be a more frightening thought, as scanning the holes of punchcards as they pass through the reader is not an easy process.

Hmmm... viruses often replicate through the mail. I can foresee a version that can travel by pneumatic tube. Drat! Since my engine is connected to the Ætherweb, I needs must build a 'firewall'. I'd best put in an order for more coal.

"Excuse me.. I say.. where did my pocket watch go?"

Perhaps mesh filters would be advisable in my own pneumotube port...

*runs to the junk shop*