OSNews thread here degenerates into GC vs not

[Walter Bright]

Georg Wrede wrote:
> As just seen, much is discussed about the D GC.
> 
> It seems to be like the rotary engine: anybody who looks at the 
> blueprints says this simply can't work, and it still does. And pretty 
> well too, in fact.

I always look at the schematic for a jet engine, and listen to the 
explanations for how it works. I never bought the explanations, to me it 
just looks like it isn't going to work. It looks like the flame will 
blow forwards just as much as blow backwards, and there will be no net 
thrust.

I finally took a course in college on jet engine cycle analysis, and 
found out the reason the flame doesn't blow forward is the compressor 
produces enough pressure to prevent it. That's why in order to start a 
jet engine, you have to spool up the compressor first with some external 
power source. A jet engine "compressor stall" happens when not enough 
air is coming in the inlet to block the flame from coming forwards, and 
the flame blows forward, stopping the engine.

> 
> Anybody can (and frequently does) conjure up situations where the GC 
> "starts smoking", and still, our real-life programs seem to "just work".
> 
> Who's had a GC problem /for real/?