17 Jun
1998
17 Jun
'98
3:35 a.m.
Hi. Just wanted to check...
What's the:
1) First calculating device (fingers and mind)
2) First human made computer (program given for input, so abbacus doesn't
count, output given)
3) Computer capible of storing programs
4) Computer capible of doing more than direct math (IE run programs for
AI's, etc.)
5) First digital computer
6) First microchip based computer (probably based on the 4004)
7) First computer to sell more than 1,000
8) " " " " " "
10,000
9) First computer to use a floppy disk (any kind of floppy)
Thanks,
Tim D. Hotze
17 Jun
17 Jun
4:41 a.m.
At 03:35 PM 6/17/98 +0300, you wrote:
Hi. Just wanted to check...
What's the:
1) First calculating device (fingers and mind)
It has been theorized that early man also used groupings of stones to
count, and also a stick with grooves cut into it to measure the passing of
some timed event, usually days, but often times other things too.
2) First human made computer (program given for input,
so abbacus doesn't
count, output given)
I think there was an automated loom that was invented in the 17th century
that wove a pattern based on a template, but I don't recall if this was a
hole punch reader, a specially shaped gear, or other apparatus. It did
exist though. Although most definitely not a computer as we see them today,
it did take a program for input, process it, and output it in the form of
fabric. (I think this was right before CGA was made a standard...)
5) First digital computer
Didn't someone just post a link about the "first digital computer" turning
50 years old? It was on the BBC website, I believe.
6) First microchip based computer (probably based on
the 4004)
7) First computer to sell more than 1,000
8) " " " " " "
10,000
9) First computer to use a floppy disk (any kind of floppy)
As for the rest, maybe somone more knowledgable than I can help you there.
________________________________________
john higginbotham limbo.netpath.net -
webmaster, http://www.pntprinting.com -
"Teamwork is essential; it gives the -
enemy other people to shoot at." -
18 Jun
18 Jun
2:19 a.m.
2) First human
made computer (program given for input, so abbacus doesn't
count, output given)
I think there was an automated loom that was invented in the 17th century
that wove a pattern based on a template, but I don't recall if this was a
hole punch reader, a specially shaped gear, or other apparatus. It did
exist though. Although most definitely not a computer as we see them today,
it did take a program for input, process it, and output it in the form of
fabric. (I think this was right before CGA was made a standard...) 5) First
digital computer
Didn't someone just post a link about the "first digital computer" turning
50 years old? It was on the BBC website, I believe. >9) First computer to use a floppy disk (any kind
of floppy)
Probably some IBM 360, wasn't the floppy originally designed to do IPL
on some of these systems?
Regards,
_---_--__-_-_----__-_----_-__-__-_-___--_-__--___-__----__--_--__-___-
Hans B Pufal Comprehensive Computer Catalogue
<mailto:hansp@plato.digiweb.com> <http://plato.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc>
17 Jun
17 Jun
5:19 a.m.
7) First computer to sell more than 1,000
One of the S/360s went into the four digits. I am not sure which one
(model 40?). 1401s may have beaten though.
8) " " "
" " " 10,000
PDP-8, probably.
9) First computer to use a floppy disk (any kind of
floppy)
One of the device controllers for the S/360s. The original intent of the
floppy was to distribute microcode updates.
William Donzelli
william(a)ans.net
11:27 p.m.
On a related note - I've been researching the history of computing for a
book that I'm working on. At this point, I've got a pretty complete (I
think) timeline. As soon as I can figure out (or some kind soul explains)
how I can convert a MS Word (5.1 - I hate the later versions) table into an
HTML table (the timeline runs about 10,000 words and I can't face the
thought of re-typing it), I'll post it on my Web site for list members'
general edification and enlightenment, as well as criticisms, corrections,
and nit-picking.
R.
--
Warbaby
The WebSite. The Domain. The Empire.
http://www.warbaby.com
The MonkeyPool
WebSite Content Development
http://www.monkeypool.com
Dreadlocks on white boys give me the willies.
10:28 p.m.
On Thu, 18 Jun 1998, Rax wrote:
HTML table (the timeline runs about 10,000 words and I
can't face the
thought of re-typing it), I'll post it on my Web site for list members'
general edification and enlightenment, as well as criticisms, corrections,
and nit-picking.
HTML.. table? HTML table?
Do you have any idea how long it would take render a table of that size in
Omniweb? Ugh.
Why not use the list tags, like a sensible person?
Using tables as a method of formatting HTML is unforgivable. (:
ok
r.
11:24 p.m.
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 00:27:53 -0800
Reply-to: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
From: Rax <rax(a)warbaby.com>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers"
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: What is the first computer?
On a related note - I've been researching the
history of computing for a
book that I'm working on. At this point, I've got a pretty complete (I
think) timeline. As soon as I can figure out (or some kind soul explains)
Hi R,
how I can convert a MS Word (5.1 - I hate the later
versions) table into an
HTML table (the timeline runs about 10,000 words and I can't face the
thought of re-typing it), I'll post it on my Web site for list members'
general edification and enlightenment, as well as criticisms, corrections,
and nit-picking.
Very commandable work! :)
BUT, that stupid WORD program tricked you with that file size.
Every time you revise the doc, moved around, made corrections, large
chunks of dupliace text got added as feature of "undo" backup which I
considered "Bad Thing" to do so and keep growing.
Why not try this:
Select all then copy it to new document, save it. Look at the file
size. about 1/3 smaller! Now, save as with different name again
from that newly created as ascii text file, loses all
the special and
formatting but this makes more compatiable with html later on.
For me, no Word no thanks!
There should be a proper WP program that doesn't add fluff and bloat
1+n in file size every time you change one word. :) IMHO.
Jason D.
R.
--
Warbaby
The WebSite. The Domain. The Empire.
http://www.warbaby.com
The MonkeyPool
WebSite Content Development
http://www.monkeypool.com
Dreadlocks on white boys give me the willies.
email: jpero(a)cgo.wave.ca
Pero, Jason D.
18 Jun
18 Jun
5:28 a.m.
At 08:24 AM 6/18/98 +0000, jpero(a)mail.cgo.wave.ca wrote:
BUT, that stupid WORD program tricked you with that file size.
Every time you revise the doc, moved around, made corrections, large
chunks of dupliace text got added as feature of "undo" backup which I
considered "Bad Thing" to do so and keep growing.
No, that's a good thing, especially when someone sends you a
proposal in Word form in e-mail, and then you can read the binary
so see what they'd said in previous revisions, or in the last
time they sent this form letter to someone. :-)
- John
17 Jun
17 Jun
11:26 p.m.
On Thu, 18 Jun 1998, Rax wrote:
On a related note - I've been researching the
history of computing for a
book that I'm working on. At this point, I've got a pretty complete (I
think) timeline. As soon as I can figure out (or some kind soul explains)
how I can convert a MS Word (5.1 - I hate the later versions) table into an
HTML table (the timeline runs about 10,000 words and I can't face the
thought of re-typing it), I'll post it on my Web site for list members'
general edification and enlightenment, as well as criticisms, corrections,
and nit-picking.
Those later versions of Word you hate will auto-convert to HTML, but I
seem to recall that Microsoft's "internet assistant for word" (or some
such) came out around the 5.x timeframe.
As somebody pointed out, one huge table is a Bad Thing, but it should be
trivial to break it up into multiple tables once you've HTMLized it.
-- Doug
9537
days inactive
9538
days old
10 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
hansp＠digiweb.com -
higginbo＠netpath.net -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
jpero＠mail.cgo.wave.ca -
photze＠batelco.com.bh -
rax＠warbaby.com -
red＠bears.org -
william＠ans.net -
yowza＠yowza.com