10 Mar
2003
10 Mar
'03
12:50 p.m.
From: "Hans Franke"
<Hans.Franke(a)mch20.sbs.de>
> > Hmm... Doesn't think this is a computer, eh? Wonder what it *is* then?
It
>
calculates, and provides a results of those calculations into some kind of
> output -- usually on paper.
Calling an Enigma a computer is really stretching
the definition. They
are incredibly simple machines - the internal circuitry consists of not
much more than a battery, wires, the wheels (fancy rotary switches,
basically), a plugboard, and a bunch of lightbulbs.
Well, as far as it goes, a computer needs to be able to:
a) have a stored (changeable) programm
b) execute instructions conditionaly
c) do a loop
sometimes also cited:
d) a way for input/output
of these basics, the Enigma is only good for the first one,
since the wheels can be seen as the programm, and they where
changeable. None of the other two conditions are met, since
there is no loop and no conditional operations ... well, ok,
one may see the repetive execution of the ecryption programm
as a loop, but then the conditional execution is still missing.