Babbage Calculating Machine Article 1833 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

25 Nov 2007

...
  From: "B. Degnan" <billdeg at
degnanco.com>
 Subject: Babbage Calculating Machine Article 1833
 To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
 Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20071125093356.03328d50 at mail.degnanco.net>

 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..." 
The machine was never completed - long story

...
  Does this account describe a working computer? 

No - to see more than you ever wanted to know about
       Babbage Difference Engine #2
 see
      http://www.ed-thelen.org/bab/bab-intro.html

...
  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.   
Error prevention was the name of the game.
    Bars and detents prevented motion at wrong times.
The machine would jam rather than make a mistake.

...
  A[s] 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. 
Fixed program "Calculator" seems a good word.
It was basically a seventh order polynomial evaluator.

...
  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...".  
The second incarnation of the 
        Babbage Difference Engine #2
  (the 1st is in the London Science Museum)
is now due in spring 2008
   on loan to Computer History Museum,
       Mountain View, CA
   courtesy of  Nathan Myhrvold.
Doron Swade is currently Guest Curator  :-))
       http://www.computerhistory.org/about/staff/swade/