Re: Note printers and punch cards were viable by the 1850s
"My father worked with some fluidic computers, albeit typically analog ones."
It's a term with several meanings. Some analog, some digital (in fact most are analog IIRC). There was a (brief) period where TTL logic gates (or more likely custom ASICs for hard wired logic) were just too expensive and fluidics were (in principal) a viable option.
"You'd really want to run any steam-punk fluidics with oil or air, rather than actual steam."
Absolutely correct. That said I have seen some designs for steam plant (Like the kind that powers warships) control elements which were fluidic controls. Also gas turbines, but more likely using oil.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
