Comments on: World’s First All-Electronic Programmable Computer (ENIAC) http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:15:36 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Charlie http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/comment-page-1/#comment-1051169 Charlie Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:42:17 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/#comment-1051169 I think you might be thinking of this: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/03/16/electronic-machine-speeds-fliqht-information-to-area-offices/ However that's not a hard drive, it's pretty clearly using drum memory. Here's an ad for drum memory from 1953: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/04/13/era-magnetic-drum-storage-systems/ And an article that explains it: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/13/computers-the-electric-brains/?Qwd=./WorldOfScience/1-1958/electric_brains&Qif=electric_brains_04.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=XL#qdig I think for it to be a hard drive it has to store data on flat magnetic platters. I think you might be thinking of this:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com.....a-offices/

However that’s not a hard drive, it’s pretty clearly using drum memory. Here’s an ad for drum memory from 1953:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com.....e-systems/

And an article that explains it:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com.....is=XL#qdig

I think for it to be a hard drive it has to store data on flat magnetic platters.

]]> By: Paul.S http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/comment-page-1/#comment-1051137 Paul.S Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:06:57 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/#comment-1051137 Actually the first computer hard drive, or storage device (at least) was around before the first computers. A consortium of US airlines, in the mid 1920's, wanted something which would automate their ticketing systems. What they came up with was a central device which let people ring (from regional offices) and check, quickly, which seats were already booked on a flight. It wasn't referred to as such, and definitely wasn't called such, but in effect what they came up with was the first hard drive... (It went on line just before the Stock Market crash) It's one of the -semi- forgotten pieces of computer history.. Actually the first computer hard drive, or storage device (at least) was around before the first computers.

A consortium of US airlines, in the mid 1920’s, wanted something which would automate their ticketing systems. What they came up with was a central device which let people ring (from regional offices) and check, quickly, which seats were already booked on a flight. It wasn’t referred to as such, and definitely wasn’t called such, but in effect what they came up with was the first hard drive… (It went on line just before the Stock Market crash) It’s one of the -semi- forgotten pieces of computer history..

]]> By: A Year in the Life of a BSD Guru http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/comment-page-1/#comment-33181 A Year in the Life of a BSD Guru Mon, 11 Dec 2006 15:52:12 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/#comment-33181 <strong>And Now for Some Computer History...</strong> Here are some cool links if you're into computing history: The Computers category at the Modern Mechanix blog is very cool as it contains scanned articles from the 1940s onwards, providing a glimpse of advances as they happened and predictions for f... And Now for Some Computer History…

Here are some cool links if you’re into computing history:

The Computers category at the Modern Mechanix blog is very cool as it contains scanned articles from the 1940s onwards, providing a glimpse of advances as they happened and predictions for f…

]]> By: Casandro http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/comment-page-1/#comment-29335 Casandro Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:22:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/12/02/the-first-all-electronic-programmable-computer-eniac/#comment-29335 What's notworthy is that back then there already has been a brittish computer used for cracking codes which was simmilar. At the same time there has been the Zuse Z3, the first computer actually having a real program. What’s notworthy is that back then there already has been a brittish computer used for cracking codes which was simmilar.

At the same time there has been the Zuse Z3, the first computer actually having a real program.

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