http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/1416-what-lies-unde... "The 102 year old computer system, built by Westinghouse and considered to be the first electric computer. " -- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast -------------------------------------------------------------- -
This "computer" is already widely debunked. It was a period-common electrical (not electronic) signaling system. On Dec 6, 2015, Joly MacFie <joly@punkcast.com> wrote:
http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/1416-what-lies-unde...
"The 102 year old computer system, built by Westinghouse and considered to be the first electric computer. "
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast -------------------------------------------------------------- -
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_______________________________________________ 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
I watched the video. I don't think it's ridiculous to call the device a "computer" but this claim certainly illustrates changes in time in the meaning of "computer." In early usage, as most on this list must know, a computer was a human performing complicated but repetitive calculations. From the 1940s onward particular kinds of machinery started to be called "automatic computers" because they carried out similar work. Many of them could automatically carry out a program of operations, performing one action after another without human intervention. On the other hand, the term was also applied to things like WWII torpedo computers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo_Data_Computer and other analog devices. Calling anything prior to WWII a "computer" is problematic in one sense, as the term was not used at the time. Babbage, for example, planned "engines." On the other hand the Grand Central device seems to have used resistance to figure out where in the track a train was when its alarm sounded, which has parallels with some later electrical analog devices that were called computers. What's clear is that this was not a digital computer, an electronic machine, or a programmable device, which is probably what the tour guide intends to convey and certainly what his audience would understand "computer" as meaning. I strongly suspect that the odd story of apple executives visiting regularly for silent contemplation is a fantasy. Still, something must have been the first device to calculate with electricity. Perhaps this was it? Perhaps there were earlier applications in telegraphic networks? That's not a question that the lovers of firsts have paid nearly as much attention to as the question of the first digital computer. Best wishes, Tom -----Original Message----- From: Members [mailto:members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Evan Koblentz Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2015 12:51 PM To: joly@punkcast.com; members@lists.sigcis.org Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Grand Central This "computer" is already widely debunked. It was a period-common electrical (not electronic) signaling system. On Dec 6, 2015, Joly MacFie <joly@punkcast.com> wrote:
http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/1416-what-lies -under-grand-central-terminal
"The 102 year old computer system, built by Westinghouse and considered to be the first electric computer. "
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast -------------------------------------------------------------- -
----------------------------------------------------------------------- -
_______________________________________________ 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
_______________________________________________ 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
Webster’s Dictionary from 1913 - looks like computer was already being applied to machines. http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?resource=Webster%27s&word=computer&use1913=on&use1828=on <http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?resource=Webster's&word=computer&use1913=on&use1828=on> regards, Mike Willegal
On Dec 7, 2015, at 10:27 AM, Thomas Haigh <thaigh@computer.org> wrote:
I watched the video. I don't think it's ridiculous to call the device a "computer" but this claim certainly illustrates changes in time in the meaning of "computer."
In early usage, as most on this list must know, a computer was a human performing complicated but repetitive calculations. From the 1940s onward particular kinds of machinery started to be called "automatic computers" because they carried out similar work. Many of them could automatically carry out a program of operations, performing one action after another without human intervention. On the other hand, the term was also applied to things like WWII torpedo computers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo_Data_Computer and other analog devices.
Calling anything prior to WWII a "computer" is problematic in one sense, as the term was not used at the time. Babbage, for example, planned "engines." On the other hand the Grand Central device seems to have used resistance to figure out where in the track a train was when its alarm sounded, which has parallels with some later electrical analog devices that were called computers.
What's clear is that this was not a digital computer, an electronic machine, or a programmable device, which is probably what the tour guide intends to convey and certainly what his audience would understand "computer" as meaning. I strongly suspect that the odd story of apple executives visiting regularly for silent contemplation is a fantasy.
Still, something must have been the first device to calculate with electricity. Perhaps this was it? Perhaps there were earlier applications in telegraphic networks? That's not a question that the lovers of firsts have paid nearly as much attention to as the question of the first digital computer.
Best wishes,
Tom
-----Original Message----- From: Members [mailto:members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Evan Koblentz Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2015 12:51 PM To: joly@punkcast.com; members@lists.sigcis.org Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Grand Central
This "computer" is already widely debunked. It was a period-common electrical (not electronic) signaling system.
On Dec 6, 2015, Joly MacFie <joly@punkcast.com> wrote:
http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/1416-what-lies -under-grand-central-terminal
"The 102 year old computer system, built by Westinghouse and considered to be the first electric computer. "
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast -------------------------------------------------------------- -
----------------------------------------------------------------------- -
_______________________________________________ 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
_______________________________________________ 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
_______________________________________________ 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
The part of the story about Apple fans allegedly coming to see it is complete fiction. The tour guide is lying. On Dec 6, 2015, Joly MacFie <joly@punkcast.com> wrote:
http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/1416-what-lies-unde...
"The 102 year old computer system, built by Westinghouse and considered to be the first electric computer. "
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast -------------------------------------------------------------- -
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________ 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
participants (4)
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Evan Koblentz -
Joly MacFie -
Mike Willegal -
Thomas Haigh