Why Computers Can’t Count Sometimes
Sometimes, numbers on sites like YouTube and Twitter jump up and down; subscriber counts lag, like-counts bounce all over the place. Why is it so hard for computers to count? To answer that, we need to talk about threading, eventual consistency, and caching.
Thanks to my proofreading team, and to Tomek on camera!
The Cambridge Centre for Computing History: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/
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@TomScottGo
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
This was a really difficult script to write! Folks who know 'eventual consistency' as a more formal term may be annoyed that I'm using it a bit loosely here. Hopefully this works as an explainer for folks who are new to it, though!
@joebidome384
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Guys look it’s that funny number!
@NuclearBloxWasTaken
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
i hate that 67 jumpscares me now
@questy4tw
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67
@gamelaine
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Six seveeeeeeeen
@RubizRizoe
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67
@ChromeConnoisseur08
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
I'm so done with this I'm gonna go downstairs and eat something
@hellohallo7423
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Oh no
@FishFork47
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67‽‽‽‽
@ConstiTAS
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67
@Fanatic2011-t5z
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Great now you're making everyone in the comment section saying 67
@ZotyLisu
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67
@hammertime_
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
67
@tonsi_Natali
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Skipping 69 for a joke only to retroactively be plagued by 67 is probably the most disastrous irony that could've happened here
@tomcruz3774
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Ahead of his time
@JohnSmith-u8s2t
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
The kids discovered Tom
@OfficialRedFlåreWinterFire32
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
I LOVE 6 7
@Allayplayz_Gaming
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Well the thumbnail aged well 😅
@cuhsicles
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
SIX SEVENNNNNN
@kikoun18
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
I wonder why would I get recomended this video in 2026. Hmmmmmm. Peculiar
@NotLaSimia
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
We found the director of the sequel of Idiocracy!
@deltafey
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
who else watching this about 6, 7 years later
@giancarloraphaeldeguzman8613
February 26, 2026 at 9:55 am
Hmmmmm
Comments are closed.