http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-1065424 Paul Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:30:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/#comment-1065424 That's a fair point. I sometimes wonder whether taking computers out of the laboratory and making them available to the masses has retarded our progress as a society. Back in the 60's, it was anticipated that in the future, children would be taught computer languages from an early age. Of course, the availability of personal, easy-to-use machines which keep all the complex stuff from you means it simply isn't necessary for most people. That’s a fair point. I sometimes wonder whether taking computers out of the laboratory and making them available to the masses has retarded our progress as a society. Back in the 60’s, it was anticipated that in the future, children would be taught computer languages from an early age. Of course, the availability of personal, easy-to-use machines which keep all the complex stuff from you means it simply isn’t necessary for most people.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-1057168 Uncle B Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:35:27 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/#comment-1057168 Most of todays computers are not used to solve engineering or social problems. Most computers today are used by prepubescents to chatter endlessly and aimlessly and by males to watch porn! We are certainly no further ahead, and arguably have gone backwards! Most of todays computers are not used to solve engineering or social problems. Most computers today are used by prepubescents to chatter endlessly and aimlessly and by males to watch porn! We are certainly no further ahead, and arguably have gone backwards!

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-1052957 Steve Rush Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:01:23 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/31/announcing-a-general-purpose-digital-computer/#comment-1052957 Pretty amazing, for 1952. That "approximately 200 tubes and 2000 crystal diodes" gives a clue to its logic, and "30 binary digits and sign" implies sign-and-magnitude arithmetic. Had twos' complement been invented yet? Of course, $62.5K was a fortune in those days, but IBM wouldn't _sell_ you a computer at any price; you had to lease. Pretty amazing, for 1952. That “approximately 200 tubes and 2000 crystal diodes” gives a clue to its logic, and “30 binary digits and sign” implies sign-and-magnitude arithmetic. Had twos’ complement been invented yet? Of course, $62.5K was a fortune in those days, but IBM wouldn’t _sell_ you a computer at any price; you had to lease.

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