Ian Maddocks wrote, in his interesting description of the Manchester exhibition, that the proposed Cornbrook device was a sundial based on an 'entropy surface'. One non-mathematical definition of entropy is 'a measure of disorder'. It would appear that the originator has chosen a most apt statement about his design! It would also appear that several others also have the same derivation.
Tony Ashmore. >4 Cornbrook >A bit on the confusing side: a sundial based on an "entropy surface". >Cornbrook is a station on the Manchester tram system but is a high >level >"interchange only" station with no street access. The point of this >sundial is to provide something which connects the "walkers" walking >past on the canal bank with the "trammers" on the platform. The dial >itself is a large swooping thing from next to the platform to down by >the path where it has some seats built in. There were plenty of slats >designed to produce light/shadow at 5 and 12 minute intervals (the >frequency of the tram services on the 2 lines). I didn't get the half >of this frankly -
