Complexity

Every
computer
has
a
“Complexity” rating. This is an
abstract measure of processing power.
Each Complexity level represents
roughly a tenfold increase in overall
capability over the previous level. A
computer’s Complexity determines
what programs it can run. Each piece
of software has a Complexity rating,
too, and can only run on a computer
of that Complexity level or higher; e.g.,
a Complexity 2 program requires a
Complexity 2 computer or better.
Complexity also determines how
many programs a computer can run
simultaneously. It can run two pro-
grams of its own Complexity, 20 pro-
grams of one Complexity level less,
200 programs of two Complexity lev-
els less, and so on. For instance, a
Complexity 2 computer could run
two Complexity 2 programs or 20
Complexity 1 programs – or one
Complexity 2 program and 10
Complexity 1 programs.
The best mid-TL8 (2004-era) desk-
top systems are Complexity 4; more
typical systems are Complexity 2-3.