Babbage Engine - Full Technical Description on Open Access
Dear All I am pleased to report that the full technical description of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2 has recently been made available online on open access by the Science Museum (London). The Engine was built to Babbage's original drawings (1847-1849) and completed in 2002. It has 8,000 parts, weighs 5 tonnes, and works as Babbage intended. It is the first of Babbage's calculating engines to be built in its entirety. Over the decades-long life of the project I documented the interpretation of the 19th-century drawings, the design decisions made in its construction, its assembly, operational debugging, and what was learned from running the Engine for countless live public demonstrations. A full description of the Engine is presented in two works available online: <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_ Description.pdf> Difference Engine No.2 Technical Description (232 pages, 131 illustrations) Provides a detailed interpretation of Babbage's design, and documents the technical understanding that informed the successful construction of the working machine. <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf> Difference Engine No.2 User Manual (147 pages, 199 illustrations) Documents the practical procedures for operating the Engine safely, setting up a calculation, testing, trouble-shooting, fault-finding, and maintenance including lubrication. The two documents are free-standing i.e. relevant drawing-excerpts are embedded in the text so that understanding does not, for the most part, rely on reference to the full 19th-century design drawings. Direct Browser Links: Technical Description: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_D escription.pdf User Manual: <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf> https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF _Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf Additional Material <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babb age-papers> The Babbage Papers at the Science Museum: * Digitised archive of Babbage papers including full technical archive and Notebooks. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babba ge-papers <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-diffe rence-engines-and-science-museum> Charles Babbage's Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum * Short contextual and historical summary. * Links to the Technical Description and User Manual are in Further Reading. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-differ ence-engines-and-science-museum Citation: Swade, Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: Technical Description. Science Museum, 2023. Swade Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: User Manual. Science Museum, 2023. Best wishes Doron Swade
Hi Doron: Many thanks – and congratulations, on a truly wonderful project, and now this splendid documentation. Cheers Brian — School of Computing, Newcastle University, 1 Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG EMAIL = Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk PHONE = +44 191 208 7923 URL = https://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/staff/profile/brianrandell.html On 02/12/2023, 15:01, "Members" <members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org> wrote: Dear All I am pleased to report that the full technical description of Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2 has recently been made available online on open access by the Science Museum (London). The Engine was built to Babbage’s original drawings (1847-1849) and completed in 2002. It has 8,000 parts, weighs 5 tonnes, and works as Babbage intended. It is the first of Babbage’s calculating engines to be built in its entirety. Over the decades-long life of the project I documented the interpretation of the 19th-century drawings, the design decisions made in its construction, its assembly, operational debugging, and what was learned from running the Engine for countless live public demonstrations. A full description of the Engine is presented in two works available online: Difference Engine No.2 Technical Description <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf%3e> (232 pages, 131 illustrations) Provides a detailed interpretation of Babbage’s design, and documents the technical understanding that informed the successful construction of the working machine. Difference Engine No.2 User Manual <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf%3e> (147 pages, 199 illustrations) Documents the practical procedures for operating the Engine safely, setting up a calculation, testing, trouble-shooting, fault-finding, and maintenance including lubrication. The two documents are free-standing i.e. relevant drawing-excerpts are embedded in the text so that understanding does not, for the most part, rely on reference to the full 19th-century design drawings. Direct Browser Links: Technical Description: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_D... <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf%3e> User Manual: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF... <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf%3e> Additional Material The Babbage Papers at the Science Museum: <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers><https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers%3e> * Digitised archive of Babbage papers including full technical archive and Notebooks. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babba... <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers><https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers%3e> Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum%3e> * Short contextual and historical summary. * Links to the Technical Description and User Manual are in Further Reading. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-differ... <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum><https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum%3e> Citation: Swade, Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: Technical Description. Science Museum, 2023. Swade Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: User Manual. Science Museum, 2023. Best wishes Doron Swade
HI Brian Many thanks for your kind words and your warming encouragement all these years. Best wishes Doron From: Brian Randell <brian.randell@newcastle.ac.uk> Sent: Saturday, December 2, 2023 3:31 PM To: doron.swade@blueyonder.co.uk Cc: members@lists.sigcis.org Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Babbage Engine - Full Technical Description on Open Access Hi Doron: Many thanks - and congratulations, on a truly wonderful project, and now this splendid documentation. Cheers Brian - School of Computing, Newcastle University, 1 Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG EMAIL = Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk <mailto:Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk> PHONE = +44 191 208 7923 URL = https://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/staff/profile/brianrandell.html On 02/12/2023, 15:01, "Members" <members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org <mailto:members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org> > wrote: Dear All I am pleased to report that the full technical description of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2 has recently been made available online on open access by the Science Museum (London). The Engine was built to Babbage's original drawings (1847-1849) and completed in 2002. It has 8,000 parts, weighs 5 tonnes, and works as Babbage intended. It is the first of Babbage's calculating engines to be built in its entirety. Over the decades-long life of the project I documented the interpretation of the 19th-century drawings, the design decisions made in its construction, its assembly, operational debugging, and what was learned from running the Engine for countless live public demonstrations. A full description of the Engine is presented in two works available online: Difference Engine No.2 Technical Description <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_ Description.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_ Description.pdf%3e> > (232 pages, 131 illustrations) Provides a detailed interpretation of Babbage's design, and documents the technical understanding that informed the successful construction of the working machine. Difference Engine No.2 User Manual <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf%3e> > (147 pages, 199 illustrations) Documents the practical procedures for operating the Engine safely, setting up a calculation, testing, trouble-shooting, fault-finding, and maintenance including lubrication. The two documents are free-standing i.e. relevant drawing-excerpts are embedded in the text so that understanding does not, for the most part, rely on reference to the full 19th-century design drawings. Direct Browser Links: Technical Description: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_D escription.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_ Description.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_ Description.pdf%3e> > User Manual: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF _Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PD F_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf%3e> > Additional Material The Babbage Papers at the Science Museum: <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babb age-papers <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babb age-papers%3e> > * Digitised archive of Babbage papers including full technical archive and Notebooks. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babba ge-papers <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babb age-papers <https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babb age-papers%3e> > Charles Babbage's Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-diffe rence-engines-and-science-museum <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-diffe rence-engines-and-science-museum%3e> > * Short contextual and historical summary. * Links to the Technical Description and User Manual are in Further Reading. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-differ ence-engines-and-science-museum <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-diffe rence-engines-and-science-museum <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-diffe rence-engines-and-science-museum%3e> > Citation: Swade, Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: Technical Description. Science Museum, 2023. Swade Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: User Manual. Science Museum, 2023. Best wishes Doron Swade
Excellent! Congratulations, Doron. Best wishes, Christine On Sat, 2 Dec 2023 at 17:27, Doron Swade via Members < members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
HI Brian
Many thanks for your kind words and your warming encouragement all these years.
Best wishes
Doron
*From:* Brian Randell <brian.randell@newcastle.ac.uk> *Sent:* Saturday, December 2, 2023 3:31 PM *To:* doron.swade@blueyonder.co.uk *Cc:* members@lists.sigcis.org *Subject:* Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Babbage Engine - Full Technical Description on Open Access
Hi Doron:
Many thanks – and congratulations, on a truly wonderful project, and now this splendid documentation.
Cheers
Brian
—
School of Computing, Newcastle University, 1 Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG
EMAIL = Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk PHONE = +44 191 208 7923
URL = https://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/staff/profile/brianrandell.html
On 02/12/2023, 15:01, "Members" <members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Dear All
I am pleased to report that the full technical description of Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2 has recently been made available online on open access by the Science Museum (London).
The Engine was built to Babbage’s original drawings (1847-1849) and completed in 2002. It has 8,000 parts, weighs 5 tonnes, and works as Babbage intended. It is the first of Babbage’s calculating engines to be built in its entirety.
Over the decades-long life of the project I documented the interpretation of the 19th-century drawings, the design decisions made in its construction, its assembly, operational debugging, and what was learned from running the Engine for countless live public demonstrations.
A full description of the Engine is presented in two works available online:
Difference Engine No.2 Technical Description < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf> (232 pages, 131 illustrations)
Provides a detailed interpretation of Babbage’s design, and documents the technical understanding that informed the successful construction of the working machine.
Difference Engine No.2 User Manual < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf> (147 pages, 199 illustrations)
Documents the practical procedures for operating the Engine safely, setting up a calculation, testing, trouble-shooting, fault-finding, and maintenance including lubrication.
The two documents are free-standing i.e. relevant drawing-excerpts are embedded in the text so that understanding does not, for the most part, rely on reference to the full 19th-century design drawings.
Direct Browser Links:
Technical Description:
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_D... < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_Description.pdf>
User Manual:
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF... < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF_Vsn_1.1_Final_SEC1.pdf>
Additional Material
The Babbage Papers at the Science Museum: < https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers>
* Digitised archive of Babbage papers including full technical archive and Notebooks.
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babba... < https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babbage-papers>
Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum>
* Short contextual and historical summary.
* Links to the Technical Description and User Manual are in Further Reading.
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-differ... < https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-difference-engines-and-science-museum>
Citation:
Swade, Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: Technical Description. Science Museum, 2023.
Swade Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: User Manual. Science Museum, 2023.
Best wishes
Doron Swade
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
Fantastic! I'm looking forward to showing my students. ----Evan Koblentz - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing- Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing- Faculty/Staff Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank@njit.edu(973) 596-3065https://web.njit.edu/~evank -------- Original message --------From: Doron Swade via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> Date: 12/2/23 10:00 AM (GMT-05:00) To: members@SIGCIS.org Cc: Doron Swade <d.swade@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Babbage Engine - Full Technical Description on Open Access Dear All I am pleased to report that the full technical description of Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2 has recently been made available online on open access by the Science Museum (London). The Engine was built to Babbage’s original drawings (1847-1849) and completed in 2002. It has 8,000 parts, weighs 5 tonnes, and works as Babbage intended. It is the first of Babbage’s calculating engines to be built in its entirety. Over the decades-long life of the project I documented the interpretation of the 19th-century drawings, the design decisions made in its construction, its assembly, operational debugging, and what was learned from running the Engine for countless live public demonstrations. A full description of the Engine is presented in two works available online: Difference Engine No.2 Technical Description (232 pages, 131 illustrations)Provides a detailed interpretation of Babbage’s design, and documents the technical understanding that informed the successful construction of the working machine. Difference Engine No.2 User Manual (147 pages, 199 illustrations) Documents the practical procedures for operating the Engine safely, setting up a calculation, testing, trouble-shooting, fault-finding, and maintenance including lubrication. The two documents are free-standing i.e. relevant drawing-excerpts are embedded in the text so that understanding does not, for the most part, rely on reference to the full 19th-century design drawings. Direct Browser Links: Technical Description:https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/DE2_Technical_D... Manual:https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/User_Manual_PDF... Additional Material The Babbage Papers at the Science Museum:Digitised archive of Babbage papers including full technical archive and Notebooks. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/documents/aa110000003/the-babba... Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science MuseumShort contextual and historical summary. Links to the Technical Description and User Manual are in Further Reading.https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/charles-babbages-differ... Citation: Swade, Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: Technical Description. Science Museum, 2023.Swade Doron, Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2: User Manual. Science Museum, 2023. Best wishesDoron Swade
participants (4)
-
Brian Randell -
Christine Finn -
Doron Swade -
Evan Koblentz