23 Jan
2011
23 Jan
'11
9:04 p.m.
On 2011 Jan 23, at 4:08 PM, Evan Koblentz wrote:
Yes, it was not fully electronic. The ciphertext was on a long paper
tape loop cycling at high speed through pulleys and an optical reader.
The wheels of the Lorenz cipher machine were simulated with electronics
and data from the tape and wheels were compared through a logical
function again in electronics. The paper tape data was not "loaded
into" the machine, it was a primary data source throughout the
processing. Although - it was running at 5000 characters per second, so
I guess that's getting into a grey area as to whether the electronics
(of the time) were being limited by the mechanical.
You might have a point there. I'll think about adding in what the ABC
* did * do. Maybe I'll write something about how it innovated in
using electronics for calculating.
I think that would be good. If I can help clarify anything, feel free
to ask. Check out the beginning page of my ABC article if you haven't,
as well as the ASM page.
TMU, Colossus
was actually like the ABC in that it did some
processing in electronics but the primary data flow still had
electro-mechanics in the path (giant paper tape loops).
So you're saying Colossus was * not * fully electronic? I didn't know
that. Very interesting. What ENIAC did was make the advancement to being
general-purpose
AND all-electronic.
Yes.
But the ABC still needs credit in that list for what it did do. But I'm also sticking with "no program = not
a computer."
As you wish for the definition of computer you choose. Not
programmable: I'd tend to agree. No program: that's not so clear, I'd
tend to disagree.