Positively wrong. Feedback, part 2

The author of The Hacker’s Diet, John Walker, has generously given me permission to discuss his diet in detail using some quotes, with links back to his site. (Earlier E4T articles on The Hacker’s Diet)

Here’s how the temperature behaves when the thermostat’s wired for positive feedback. As long as the temperature remains between 60 and 80 degrees, all is well. As the sun rises, however, the temperature crosses the 80 degree mark and the furnace starts. This quickly pushes the temperature up near the century mark and the furnace continues to roar, compounding the problem, most of the day. Only in the evening does the rapidly falling outside temperature drag the indoor temperature below 80 degrees, finally shutting off the heat. Unfortunately, the temperature soon falls below 60 and the air conditioner starts. Temperatures plunge and finally hit 40. The only thing that keeps the temperature from rising to the point of ignition or falling until the air is liquefied is the finite capacity of the furnace to heat and the air conditioner to cool, plus leakage of heat to and from the outside.

So, we don’t want to trigger the furnace on when the temperature is high — we want to turn the furnace on when the temperature is low. And we don’t want the air conditioner to go on when the temperature is low, it should be switched on when the temperature is low.

That makes sense to me.m I guess that means we’re going to develop a system that discourages us from eating when we’re full and encourages us to eat when we’re hungery.

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