A programmable, electromechanical calculator designed by professor Howard Aiken. Built by IBM and installed at Harvard in 1944, it strung 78 adding machines together to perform three calculations per second. It was 51 feet long, weighed five tons and used paper tape for input and typewriters for output. Made of 765,000 parts, it sounded like a thousand knitting needles according to Rear Admiral Grace Hopper. The Mark I worked in decimal arithmetic, not binary, but it could go for hours without intervention. At its dedication ceremony, Aiken asserted that the Mark I was the modern embodiment of Babbage's Analytical Engine, although it did not have a conditional statement in its programming repertoire. The experience helped IBM develop its own computers a few years later. See Analytical Engine.
The Mark I
Five tons of mechanical calculator and 51 feet long, the Mark I could perform three calculations a second in 1944. (Image courtesy of The Computer History Museum, www.computerhistory.org)
The Mark I
Five tons of mechanical calculator and 51 feet long, the Mark I could perform three calculations a second in 1944. (Image courtesy of The Computer History Museum, www.computerhistory.org)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Peak oil panic? Dubai or not Dubai?
- Harry, please ignore the deniersThey will try to quash any voice of reason. I believe they hope to maneuver themselves into a position where they can argue that they should not be affected by the consequences because they don't believe in man-made climate change. Pure selfishness.Keep it coming. We are...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-26
- Is it time to go quad-core?
- Quad core, Chris?You have told us over and over that all you need is Google. You don't need a real OS, real apps, or any processing power to speak of. All you need is a browser, preferably Chrome. Why on Earth would you need a quad core...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Stupid DROID Tricks, Volume 1
- also if u want to talk and surf the net (get directions,or use the Map) in the same time u just have to open or switch the applications using the HOME key on the phone.Also: if u want to make a very CHEAP International calls or If you want to...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-22
- Live from Googleplex: Chrome OS details revealed
- Ubuntu 9.10 has more immediate potentialMight I suggest trying Ubuntu 9.10? A phenominal OS with much more to offer then even Windows 7.Open source, free and ready to try today...http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1122http://www.tuxradar.com/content/vista-windows-7-ubuntu-904-and-910-boot-speed-comparisonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYgWE6Svpaghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16-nad9N3pgNot that I have readI'd stick with 904immediate potential to sink in obscurityGoogle was Linux's last fleeting chance to turn...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- AOL: Will Armstrong get any honeymoon?
- Time to send out some free AOL signup disks ntntGood Bye AOLThe sooner AOL is just a shadow in the rear-view-mirror of technological history, the better.Since day one they were a success because of aggressive marketing not due to providing anything of any value to their customers.When they bought Time...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- Microsoft shares a few tidbits on IE9 and (lots) more on Silverlight 4
- Safari? What Safari ? :-)http://www.tgdaily.com/software-features/39495-safari-4-beta-first-browser-to-hit-100-score-in-acid3-testI know, Steve doesn't like Apple but you're supposed to be a journalist? ;-)Google chrome?IE like Microsoft is stumbling around in a new ecosystem in which spending thousands of dollars is not an option.Plus, it locks you into a insecure OS platform with...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-18
- Google to demo Chrome OS; Detail launch plans
- the windoze killer has arrivedChrome OS will put the final nail in M$ coffin!You really can't be seriousyou have to be a fake or something.Your posts are allways way off the mark.By like a continent or two.Windoze? Grow up, manI hope Chrome is good - because it will make...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-17
- 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet
- Photo gallery:2010 Audi A5 CabrioletThe Audi A5 is a stunningly beautiful coupe with excellent power and performance. Unfortunately, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet is not that car. In an effort to please drop-top lovers, Audi cut the roof off of the A5 Coupe, an element that accounted for the majority...
- Product reviews 2009-11-16
- CRM Association-Netherlands Rocks Het Huis!
- I'm in love with Amsterdam....no wait, I love it but I'm not in love....no, hold on, I like it a lot, but I'm not in love, nor do I love it. The Theory.... Interestingly enough (to me at least and who else am I really writing this for...
- Blog posts 2009-11-16
- Dell Android-based Mini 3 smartphone more proof that Google is a safe mobile bet
- coolAt first glance, the primary thought through my mind was "what the hell is Dell doing with a smartphone?" I'm just not use to such an idea I suppose, but anyway......I love seeing the Android OS spreading like wildfire. Even traditionally non-phone company (Dell, etc) is getting in the action...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-13
- Google: Firms can get rid of Office in a year
- In other words, Google Appsare still at that 1 to 2 percent mark.Good Riddance!It won't be missed.Man, so true, MS Office is a big hairball of baroque features to format for8.5x11. MS Office will be on a downward slide from here on out.In terms of what is need for the...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-13
- Why IT can't seem to deliver measurable productivity
- Sounds like excuses to me.If it can't be shown on the bottom line, its useless.IT really needs to be aligned with business needs.From what I have heard talking with several managers, IT needs to come out out the silo and focus on delivering business needs and services. From what...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-11
- American electric motorcycle price lowered
- 10 yearsIt would take me ten years of riding it 14 miles to work and 14 miles back including in the cold and the rain with gas at $1.60 a gallon to pay for the cost of the bike. Those batteries generally need replacement at 2,000 charges which would be...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-10
- In Smartphone Wars, Darwinism Triumphs Over Intelligent Design
- OT, but what the heck.The remark:"...even the mechanism called Natural Selection referred to in Evolution, bears the mark of underlying intelligence, since the only way such a sophisticated mechanism could be implemented, is via a highly sophisticated and capable intelligence."flies in the face of established creationist beliefs. The creationist...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-08
- Google classic homepage sports Motorola Droid ad
- I don't see itCould be that it detects that I'm in Canada. Come on Motorola, bring this to Canada and I'll buy it! :)Re: I don't see it Not a Canadian thing. Either it is random, focused on some cookie info, or pulled. Not on mine in the US as...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-06
- February 2013 - The date when Firefox could pass Internet Explorer
- Mark this date in your diaries and on your calendars: February 2013. It's my best guess date based on the data I have for when Firefox's global market share will surpass that of Internet Explorer. by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
- Blog posts 2009-11-06
- Organic Social Networks, the Yankees and....Wha'? (UPDATE: WE WON OUR 27TH WORLD SERIES!)
- Needless to say, being a Yankees fan of the entirely driven and committed sort, I'm biting every nail on my hands off and frankly, if I could reach my feet, would go at those nails too (Ugh.). I do that every time that the Yankees are in the playoffs or...
- Blog posts 2009-11-04
- Smartplanet: Apple can grab more share by slashing Mac prices
- RE: Smartplanet: Apple can grab more share by slashing Mac pricesIf they wanted marketshare at a lower entry price they could have pulled that off years ago with cloner acquisitions and more mfg on their own part with rigid standards and practices to ensure quality and lower production costs. ...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-04
- News to know: Ruiz, Moffat resign; Microsoft; Psystar; Smartphones
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage.: Sam Diaz: Ruiz resigns as GlobalFoundries chairman; no mention of insider trading scandal Moffat no longer with IBM as...
- Blog posts 2009-11-03
- 5 quick Microsoft Entourage keyboard shortcuts
- Mac users: If you're used to managing your schedule and contacts with Outlook, switching to Microsoft Entourage isn't familiar. Your mail and calendar software should be quick and simple to use. Here are some quick tips that should save you some time and frustration: ...
- Blog posts 2009-11-02
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Save time with automated shipping solutions
-
The Business Essentials Guide provides you useful tools and templates to help grow your business and save you time with automated shipping solutions.
- Visit the UPS Business Essentials Guide
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Reduce risk. Reduce complexity. Increase reliability.
-
A simplified IT environment isn't just less complex. It's also more reliable. Standardize on a single Linux platform with SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, and get the world's most interoperable Linux
- Learn more >>
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
Meet Doc
-
-
Here to help you with your Document Management Needs
- Doc is an enigma. Born to a Russian ballerina and a German electrical engineer, he grew up in various locations in the United States. He’s seen the insides of more brands, versions, and generations of printer and printer-related hardware than almost anyone.
- To learn more about this mysterious figure check out his blog on ZDNet and his Workspace on TechRepublic. You’ll be glad you did.
-
Produced by
ZDNet and -
