"B. Degnan" wrote:
New York Weekly Messenger 2-13-1833
Babbage Calculating Machine Article 1833
On the back page of this newspaper is an article that describes in some
detail the eye-witness account of a *working* machine: "...the greater part
of the calculating machine is already constructed....I have had the
advantage of seeing it actually calculate, and of studying its construction
with Mr. Babbage himself..."
Does this account describe a working computer? To help make this
determination I would want to learn more about the error checking
capability of this machine, which I assume was used for calculation of
significant digits. A described, Babbage's calculating machine could be
described as "computer-like" at least. I believe that this article reports
the closest Babbage got to a actual working computer. Or just an elaborate
calculator. There are no references in the article to what we today would
identify as punch cards or programming.
Download the PDF
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/babbage/charles_babbage_2-13-1833.pdf
...and read for yourself. The article describes error checking and how
results are viewed and how log tables could be calculated accurately, for
use in astronomy. The article noted that regarding the printer "..less
progress was made...".
I haven't had time to read the article, but given the year and application
(log tables) it sounds like what the reporter saw was Babbage's difference
engine rather than analytical engine. The d-e was a calculator of a form
and was completed (or largely so), but it was not programmable. The a-e was
Babbage's uncompleted machine that looks more computer-like in modern terms.
The a-e (was going to) use punch cards, the d-e did not. A little googling
should bring up a lot more info to elaborate between the two.
In the 1830's news from Europe would take a few
weeks to reach New York, as
boat was the only cross-Atlantic communications. Most articles in the paper
refer to end of December 1832 events, including the account of the
Calculating Machine.
Overall there was a lack of contemporary articles about Babbage's
calculating machine in 1832-35. I was able to find just the one often
quoted article by D Lardner: "Babbage's Calculating Engines" from
the Edinburgh Review 59 (1834) pg 263-327. The New York Weekly Messenger
article above was printed a year prior, making it among the first known
articles about Babbage's calculating machine. The apparent lack favorable
press and the loss of funding in 1834 obscured the fact that the machine
had a working visual "display" and was probably more complete than people
realize. Was the calculating machine programmable? Maybe. Most writings
about the Babbage projects were published a generation after the project
was cancelled and I don't think that it's possible to discount the notion
entirely.