Computer Science 1011A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Vacuum Tube, Ibm 701, Xor Gate
12 Jan 2016
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Document Summary
There has always been a need to calculate navigation tables for mariners (tides) Star tables for astronomers (movement) - life insurance tables for actuaries - civil engineering tables. Calculations were done by hand by people: these people were known as computers. (term first used in 1613, defined as: a person who makes calculations, a reckoner. Better and better methods have always been employed to make calculations: easier. More accurate how ?through the use of mechanical means. Charles babbage"s calculating engines (~1860s): the 1860 census. 184 clerks took 2 years to count 31. 4 million people. 438 clerks took 5 years to count 40. 8 million people. 1,495 clerks took 8 years to count 80. 4 million people. 535 clerks took 1. 5 years to count 64. 4 million people. Jacquard loom and introduction of punch cards (1812) Wireless technology (radio) suddenly there was an exponential growth in the need to calculate. Code breaking combinations - weather and tide predictors.
