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Erschienen in:
Introducing the Early Digital Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

2019 | OriginalPaper | Buchkapitel

7. The Evolution of Digital Computing Practice on the Cambridge University EDSAC, 1949–1951

verfasst von : Martin Campbell-Kelly

Erschienen in: Exploring the Early Digital

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Cambridge University was very unusual, if not unique, among British universities in that it had established a centralised computation facility—the Mathematical Laboratory—in 1937, long before the advent of stored-program computing. The laboratory contained a variety of computing machinery, including desktop calculating machines and a differential analyser. During 1947–1949, the laboratory built the EDSAC, the world’s first practical stored-program computer. The EDSAC provided a massive increment in computing power that rendered the earlier equipment largely obsolete. However, the pre-existing computing infrastructure and practices profoundly shaped how the EDSAC was used and what it was used for.

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Vorheriges Kapitel The ENIAC Display: Insignia of a Digital Praxeology
Nächstes Kapitel The Media of Programming
Fußnoten
1
This chapter gives a highly condensed description of the programming techniques devised in the laboratory. A much more detailed history is given in Campbell-Kelly (1980).
 
2
The following description of the computing service is distilled principally from Cambridge University Library, Computer Laboratory papers COMP. B. 3.15: Computer Laboratory Operating Memorandum No. 3 (March 1951), 8 (January 1952), and 11 (September 1952).
 
3
Cambridge University Library, Computer Laboratory papers COMP. A. 9.
 
4
Table making was the primary reason for the existence of both the Harvard Mark I and the ENIAC. Indeed, the Harvard machine had a nickname “Bessie” due to the vast amount of time spent computing tables of Bessel functions.
 
5
Unless otherwise indicated, the information and quotations for this section come from Cambridge University Library, Computer Laboratory papers COMP. A. 9 (Priorities Committee).
 
6
Bennett and Kendrew’s work is described in several contemporary papers (particularly Bennett and Kendrew 1952 and Kendrew et al. 1958). Historical accounts setting the work in its scientific context include November (2012) and de Chadarevian (2002).
 
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Metadaten
Titel
The Evolution of Digital Computing Practice on the Cambridge University EDSAC, 1949–1951
verfasst von
Martin Campbell-Kelly
Copyright-Jahr
2019
Buch
Exploring the Early Digital

Print ISBN: 978-3-030-02151-1

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-02152-8

Copyright-Jahr: 2019

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02152-8_7