25-08-2017, 09:32 PM
A Short History of Computing
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A vision of calculating by steam!
My friend Herschel, calling upon me, brought with him the calculations of the computers, and we commenced the tedious process of verification. After a time many discrepancies occurred, and at one point these discordances were so numerous that I exclaimed, “I wish to God these calculations had been executed by steam.” 1821
Importance of the Difference Engine
1. First attempt to devise a computing machine that was automatic in action and well adapted, by its printing mechanism, to a mathematical task of considerable importance.
2. An example of government subsidization of innovation and technology development
3. Spin offs to the machine-tool “industry”
Ada Augusta Byron, 1815-1852
born on 10 December 1815.
named after Byron's half sister, Augusta, who had been his mistress.
After Byron had left for the Continent with a parting shot -- 'When shall we three meet again?' -- Ada was brought up by her mother.
Manchester Mark
Freddy Williams and Tom Kilburn
Developed an electrostatic memory
Prototype operational June 21, 1948 and machine to execute a stored program
Memory: 32 words of 32 bits each
Storage: single Williams tube (CRT)
Fully operational: October 1949
Ferranti Mark I delivered in February 1951