With the ease and convenience of integrating hardware with computers, we tend to use computers and electronics for our critical systems.
However, there are many things that can happen to electronics -- from global electromagnetic storms to computer viruses. So, it makes sense to make critical systems be prepared for them.
It makes sense running the all-electronics failure testing for cities. For example, disconnecting an a city from the grid and turning off the communications systems for short times to assessing the potential immediate needs, and then building the "low-tech" mode for cities to operate.
For example, in low-tech mode, things like payment transactions, would not work, and supermarkets, suppliers, etc., should switch to other type of accounting and record keeping. There could be many other adaptations for the low- tech mode.
The goal of such testing would be to enable a city to switch to low-tech mode for long periods of time while sustaining economy for the period of time needed to recover with the help of some protected equipment.-- Inyuki, Nov 26 2015 Zip Zap machine https://www.google....CgC&biw=794&bih=569 [hippo, Nov 26 2015] Largely baked, fom stone age until 1900. That was enough testing for me.-- piluso, Nov 26 2015 So like candles in the kitchen in case of power outage, but on a city-scale. Makes sense [+].-- the porpoise, Nov 26 2015 Localized outages are catered for in existing disaster planning. The large-scale, prolonged outages you describe go far deeper than supermarket payment handling.
Perhaps you're suggesting that cities implement parallel grids, with essential or critical systems such as utilities for emergency services and hospitals, street lighting on arterial routes, etc., served by protected and/or redundant systems, while non-critical aspects use less well guarded services.
In this way it may be possible to undertake some sort of drill or test whereby citizens and businesses can develop their low-tech operations without unnecessary risk to life.-- Tulaine, Nov 26 2015 [Tulaine], yes like parallel grids for essential and/or critical utilities.-- Inyuki, Nov 26 2015 We have a Zip Zap machine (see link) at home, not just for this eventuality, but it might be useful for taking payments in that short window between the lights going out and the breakdown of civilization.-- hippo, Nov 26 2015 // short window between the lights going out and the breakdown of civilization //
“There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy” was said by writer Alfred Henry Lewis (1855-1914) in a March 1906 issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine.-- 8th of 7, Nov 26 2015 //The goal of such testing would be to enable a city to switch to low-tech mode for long periods of time// This is why we built Cardiff.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 26 2015 Ahh, Cardiff ... where vowels change hands in the back streets for up to two sheep each.
Natives travel from miles around to watch the light show ... green, yellow, then red ... red and yellow ... then back to green ... the fascination never ends. Of course, the process is quite slow, requiring a highly trained welsh engineer (of almost god-like status) to repeatedly "climb" a "ladder" to alternately "light" and "put out" the "wicks" (sorry, but there are no welsh words for those complicated concepts).-- 8th of 7, Nov 26 2015 random, halfbakery