The Greatest Machine That Never Was

blog.jgc.org

59 points·jgrahamc··8 comments

What a super talk and what a super project.

be sure to check out the faq:

http://blog.jgc.org/2010/10/plan-28-analytical-engine-faq.ht...

Can't wait to see this beast in action and hear the little ding when it's done :)

Maybe spacebars can be ported and we can play it with the plotter

I hope this doesn't sound too stalker-ish, and I'm not sure if it's a compliment or insult or neither, but having never met you or seen you on video before, you're dressed exactly as I would imagine you.

:-) You missed the part where I cycled over to Imperial College in my padded cycle shorts and worn out lycra T-shirt. You only get to see the bit where I'd changed into smart stuff.

I would disagree about the computer x calculator thing, or more precisely about Babbage's machine begin computer instead of calculator. I don't think if-then is enough.

I think first actual computer emerged when Von Neumann architecture was born, when program and data became one. That was in theory when Turing machine was extended to do that (I don't know when), and in practice with SSEM (or Baby) built by Turing and co. in 1948, combining both no data - program distinction, and sufficiently strong computation capabilities.

It's a computer in any sense of the word. The only difference between the Analytical Engine and what you call an "actual computer" is speed. It had selection, iteration and sequence, it had working memory and it could load data and instuctions from punched cards.

Really interesting talk. TED do some great talks in general imo.

I was thinking of Memex.

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