Computer History Myths Computer History Myths DebunkedDebunked

Computer History Myths Computer History Myths DebunkedDebunked

Dr. Wayne SummersTSYS School of Computer Science 

Columbus State University

Dr. Wayne SummersTSYS School of Computer Science 

Columbus State University

04/21/23 Columbus State University

04/21/23 Columbus State University

"History of Computing at Oxford""History of Computing at Oxford"

• Part of the CSU in Oxford Summer Program with field trips to sites around England (July 6-July 25, 2007).

• Part of the CSU in Oxford Summer Program with field trips to sites around England (July 6-July 25, 2007).

04/21/23 Columbus State University

COURSECOURSE• Book:   Jacquard's Web : How a Hand-Loom Led

to the Birth of the Information Age by James Essinger

• Wiki: http://computer-history.pbwiki.com/• Blog: http://computer-history-csu.blogspot.com/

• Field Trips:• Videos:

– The Machine That Changed the World(1-5)– To Dream Tomorrow

• Book:   Jacquard's Web : How a Hand-Loom Led to the Birth of the Information Age by James Essinger

• Wiki: http://computer-history.pbwiki.com/• Blog: http://computer-history-csu.blogspot.com/

• Field Trips:• Videos:

– The Machine That Changed the World(1-5)– To Dream Tomorrow

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Field TripsField Trips

• Oxford Museum of History of Science

• London Museum of Science

• Bletchley Park

• Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

• Oxford Museum of History of Science

• London Museum of Science

• Bletchley Park

• Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

04/21/23 Columbus State University

The MythsThe Myths• Myth #1: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented the punched

card• Myth #2: Charles Babbage built the first computer• Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed

because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or lack of funds

• Myth #4: Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer• Myth #5: Herman Hollerith independently “invented” the

punch cards• Myth #6: Howard Aiken and other computer designers of

the “modern era” were not influenced by Babbage

• Myth #1: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented the punched card

• Myth #2: Charles Babbage built the first computer• Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed

because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or lack of funds

• Myth #4: Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer• Myth #5: Herman Hollerith independently “invented” the

punch cards• Myth #6: Howard Aiken and other computer designers of

the “modern era” were not influenced by Babbage

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Myth #1: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented the punched card

Myth #1: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented the punched card

• On 23 Dec. 1800, he registered a patent for a machine “designed to replace the draw-boy in the manufacture of figured fabrics”.

• Jacques de Vaucanson is credited with creating the world's first true robots, as well as creating the first completely automated loom (1740).

• In 1728, Jean Falcon built a loom that used punched cards• In 1725, Basile Bouchon invented a way to control a loom

with a perforated paper tape. The son of an organ maker, he adapted the concept of music automata controlled by pegged cylinders to the repetitive task of weaving.

• On 23 Dec. 1800, he registered a patent for a machine “designed to replace the draw-boy in the manufacture of figured fabrics”.

• Jacques de Vaucanson is credited with creating the world's first true robots, as well as creating the first completely automated loom (1740).

• In 1728, Jean Falcon built a loom that used punched cards• In 1725, Basile Bouchon invented a way to control a loom

with a perforated paper tape. The son of an organ maker, he adapted the concept of music automata controlled by pegged cylinders to the repetitive task of weaving.

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Jacquard’s LoomJacquard’s Loom

London Museum of ScienceLondon Museum of Science

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Myth #2: Charles Babbage built the first computer

Myth #2: Charles Babbage built the first computer

• Charles Babbage did design the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine (neither were completed by him)

• “My God, Herschel! How I wish these calculations could be executed by steam.”[1821]

• In 1824, Babbage won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society "for his invention of an engine for calculating mathematical and astronomical tables".

• Charles Babbage did design the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine (neither were completed by him)

• “My God, Herschel! How I wish these calculations could be executed by steam.”[1821]

• In 1824, Babbage won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society "for his invention of an engine for calculating mathematical and astronomical tables".

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London Museum of ScienceLondon Museum of Science

• Babbage’s Difference Engine (1822-1849) [original piece]• 2/3 of Babbage’s Brain

• Babbage’s Difference Engine (1822-1849) [original piece]• 2/3 of Babbage’s Brain

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Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or

lack of funds

Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or

lack of funds

• Babbage had access to one of the best toolmakers of the day – Joseph Clement who did build a small prototype by 1822

• Per Georg Scheutz and son built a small difference engine machine in 1843

• Difference Engine in the London Science Museum was built to Babbage’s specs with 19th century tools (1985-1991)

• Babbage had access to one of the best toolmakers of the day – Joseph Clement who did build a small prototype by 1822

• Per Georg Scheutz and son built a small difference engine machine in 1843

• Difference Engine in the London Science Museum was built to Babbage’s specs with 19th century tools (1985-1991)

04/21/23 Columbus State University

London Museum of ScienceLondon Museum of Science

• Per Georg Scheutz’s Difference Engine • Recreation of Difference Engine for shipment to California

(2007)

• Per Georg Scheutz’s Difference Engine • Recreation of Difference Engine for shipment to California

(2007)

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or

lack of funds

Myth #3: The Difference Engine was not completed because of inadequate tools in the 19th Century and/or

lack of funds

• By 1834, he had received £17,470 (enough to build two battleships) to build the Difference Engine, but starting to design the Analytical Engine

• By 1834, he had started work on the Analytical Engine (using punched cards to store data and instructions was able to perform calculations automatically)

• Told Sir Robert Peel that he had stopped work on the Difference Engine so that he could build the Analytical Engine

• By 1834, he had received £17,470 (enough to build two battleships) to build the Difference Engine, but starting to design the Analytical Engine

• By 1834, he had started work on the Analytical Engine (using punched cards to store data and instructions was able to perform calculations automatically)

• Told Sir Robert Peel that he had stopped work on the Difference Engine so that he could build the Analytical Engine

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Charles Babbage – Father of ComputingCharles Babbage – Father of Computing

• 1791 - 1871• formed the

Analytical Society in 1812

• Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge (1828 to 1839)

• 1791 - 1871• formed the

Analytical Society in 1812

• Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge (1828 to 1839)

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Charles Babbage – Father of ComputingCharles Babbage – Father of Computing

• On two occasions I have been asked, – "Pray, Mr. Babbage," if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right "answers come out?" In one case a member of the Upper, and in the other a member of the Lower, House put this question. I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.

• On two occasions I have been asked, – "Pray, Mr. Babbage," if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right "answers come out?" In one case a member of the Upper, and in the other a member of the Lower, House put this question. I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Charles Babbage – Father of ComputingCharles Babbage – Father of Computing• Counted all the broken panes of glass of a factory,

publishing in 1857 a "Table of the Relative Frequency of the Causes of Breakage of Plate Glass Windows": 14 of 464 were caused by "drunken men, women or boys".

• His distaste for commoners ("the Mob") included writing "Observations of Street Nuisances" in 1864, as well as tallying up 165 "nuisances" over a period of 80 days; he especially hated street music.

• Obsessed with fire, once baking himself in an oven at 265°F (130°C) for four minutes "without any great discomfort" to "see what would happen."

• Later, he arranged to be lowered into Mount Vesuvius in order to view molten lava for himself.

• Counted all the broken panes of glass of a factory, publishing in 1857 a "Table of the Relative Frequency of the Causes of Breakage of Plate Glass Windows": 14 of 464 were caused by "drunken men, women or boys".

• His distaste for commoners ("the Mob") included writing "Observations of Street Nuisances" in 1864, as well as tallying up 165 "nuisances" over a period of 80 days; he especially hated street music.

• Obsessed with fire, once baking himself in an oven at 265°F (130°C) for four minutes "without any great discomfort" to "see what would happen."

• Later, he arranged to be lowered into Mount Vesuvius in order to view molten lava for himself.

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Myth #4: Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer

Myth #4: Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer

• Analytical Engine was never built

• Published a translation of Menabrea’s paper describing the Analytical Engine along with her own seven Notes (A-G) (1842-1843)

• [http://www.fourmilab.ch/babbage/sketch.html]

• Analytical Engine was never built

• Published a translation of Menabrea’s paper describing the Analytical Engine along with her own seven Notes (A-G) (1842-1843)

• [http://www.fourmilab.ch/babbage/sketch.html]

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Myth #5: Herman Hollerith independently “invented” the punch cards

Myth #5: Herman Hollerith independently “invented” the punch cards

• His brother-in-law was in the silk-weaving business and had discussed the Jacquard loom with him

• “Hollerith never pretended to have invented punched cards himself” [Essinger]

• “His basic patents always encompassed the use of punched cards in combination with his machines” [Essinger]

• His brother-in-law was in the silk-weaving business and had discussed the Jacquard loom with him

• “Hollerith never pretended to have invented punched cards himself” [Essinger]

• “His basic patents always encompassed the use of punched cards in combination with his machines” [Essinger]

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Myth #6: Howard Aiken and other computer designers of the “modern era” were not

influenced by Babbage

Myth #6: Howard Aiken and other computer designers of the “modern era” were not

influenced by Babbage

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Which was the first computer?Which was the first computer?• Difference Engine (1843) / Analytical

Engine• Atanasoff–Berry Computer (1937-1941)• Zuse’s Z3 (1941)• Collusus (1943-1944)• Eniac (1943-1946)• IBM Harvard Mark I (1944)• Manchester Baby (1948) / Mark I

• Difference Engine (1843) / Analytical Engine

• Atanasoff–Berry Computer (1937-1941)• Zuse’s Z3 (1941)• Collusus (1943-1944)• Eniac (1943-1946)• IBM Harvard Mark I (1944)• Manchester Baby (1948) / Mark I

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Babbage’s Difference Engine II with printer (built 1991)

Babbage’s Difference Engine II with printer (built 1991)

London Museum of ScienceLondon Museum of Science

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Analytical Engine piece (designed 1837-1871)

Analytical Engine piece (designed 1837-1871)

London Museum of ScienceLondon Museum of Science

04/21/23 Columbus State University

ColossusColossus

Bletchley ParkBletchley Park

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Manchester “Baby” ReplicaManchester “Baby” Replica

• Manchester Museum of Science and Industry• Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

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Trick question:Trick question:

What was the average weight of a computer in the early 1940’s?

What was the average weight of a computer in the early 1940’s?

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• If the Analytical Engine had been built, it would have been in many ways more advanced than some of the first computers that emerged in the 1940s. It would have been digital, programmable and Turing complete.

• However, it would have been very slow. Ada Lovelace reported in her notes on the Analytical engine: "Mr. Babbage believes he can, by his engine, form the product of two numbers, each containing twenty figures, in three minutes".

• By comparison the Harvard Mark I could perform the same task in just six seconds. A modern PC can do the same thing in well under a billionth of a second.

• If the Analytical Engine had been built, it would have been in many ways more advanced than some of the first computers that emerged in the 1940s. It would have been digital, programmable and Turing complete.

• However, it would have been very slow. Ada Lovelace reported in her notes on the Analytical engine: "Mr. Babbage believes he can, by his engine, form the product of two numbers, each containing twenty figures, in three minutes".

• By comparison the Harvard Mark I could perform the same task in just six seconds. A modern PC can do the same thing in well under a billionth of a second.

04/21/23 Columbus State University

04/21/23 Columbus State University

ReferencesReferences

• Jacquard's Web : How a Hand-Loom Led to the Birth of the Information Age by James Essinger

• Sketch of The Analytical Engine With notes by the Translator Ada Augusta, Countess Of Lovelace

• History of Modern Computing by Paul Ceruzzi• The Machine That Changed the World(1-5) – PBS Nova videos• To Dream Tomorrow – Flare Productions video• ….

• Jacquard's Web : How a Hand-Loom Led to the Birth of the Information Age by James Essinger

• Sketch of The Analytical Engine With notes by the Translator Ada Augusta, Countess Of Lovelace

• History of Modern Computing by Paul Ceruzzi• The Machine That Changed the World(1-5) – PBS Nova videos• To Dream Tomorrow – Flare Productions video• ….

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“We may say most aptly that the Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns just as the Jacquard-loom

weaves flowers and leaves.”

Ada Augusta, Countess Of Lovelace (October 1842)

"history of computer" in Malaysia"history of computer" in Malaysia

• Established in 1971, Computer Systems Advisers (M) Berhad (CSA), a member of Computer Sciences Corporation

• 1980 - Advanced Microcomputers Pte Ltd (AMCOM) was incorporated

• Established in 1971, Computer Systems Advisers (M) Berhad (CSA), a member of Computer Sciences Corporation

• 1980 - Advanced Microcomputers Pte Ltd (AMCOM) was incorporated

04/21/23 Columbus State University

"history of computer" in Malaysia"history of computer" in Malaysia

• Jun 18, 1990 - A young bank executive broke into his bank's computer security system and stole nearly $1.5 million in Malaysia's biggest case of computer fraud, police said today. The executive attracted suspicion when he bought a red Lamborghini, three Porsches and a Mercedes-Benz

• Jun 18, 1990 - A young bank executive broke into his bank's computer security system and stole nearly $1.5 million in Malaysia's biggest case of computer fraud, police said today. The executive attracted suspicion when he bought a red Lamborghini, three Porsches and a Mercedes-Benz

04/21/23 Columbus State University

"history of computer" in Malaysia"history of computer" in Malaysia

• Oct 1, 1990 - Protection of computer programs or compilations of computer programs is available under the Copyright Act. On 1 October 1990, Malaysia acceded to the Berne Convention and enacted regulations which effectively extended copyright protection in Malaysia

• Oct 1, 1990 - Protection of computer programs or compilations of computer programs is available under the Copyright Act. On 1 October 1990, Malaysia acceded to the Berne Convention and enacted regulations which effectively extended copyright protection in Malaysia

04/21/23 Columbus State University

Questions?Questions?Dr. Wayne Summers

TSYS School of Computer Science

Columbus State University

Columbus, GA

wsummers@ColumbusState.edu

Dr. Wayne Summers

TSYS School of Computer Science

Columbus State University

Columbus, GA

wsummers@ColumbusState.edu04/21/23 Columbus State University