Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
English Electric Article in BYTE Magazine
21 views
Skip to first unread message
Charles Richmond
May 15, 2013, 12:34:22 AM5/15/13
to
Sometime in the late 80's (as I remember it), there was an article in BYTE
magazine about computer history. The article discussed the ACE (or perhaps
the DEUCE) computer. It was written by someone who worked on the machine,
and I think the article also appeared in _History of Computing in the 20th
Century_.
The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
*never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
date. Inevitably, some reporter will put in today's date... and the program
may say FRIDAY when it's actually Tuesday!! No! Have the program computer
the answer to a difficult differential equation. Then whatever numbers come
out, you can swear up and down that it's right!!!
Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
magazine???
--
numerist at aquaporin4 dot com
magazine about computer history. The article discussed the ACE (or perhaps
the DEUCE) computer. It was written by someone who worked on the machine,
and I think the article also appeared in _History of Computing in the 20th
Century_.
The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
*never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
date. Inevitably, some reporter will put in today's date... and the program
may say FRIDAY when it's actually Tuesday!! No! Have the program computer
the answer to a difficult differential equation. Then whatever numbers come
out, you can swear up and down that it's right!!!
Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
magazine???
--
numerist at aquaporin4 dot com
Message has been deleted
Robin Vowels
May 18, 2013, 7:04:36 AM5/18/13
to
On May 15, 2:34 pm, "Charles Richmond" <numer...@aquaporin4.com>
wrote:
As you say it's English Electric, the article would probably be about
DEUCE,
rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
telephone line.
There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
just been got going, about 1951.
For a comment like the one you quote, the author might have been J.
Wilkinson.
Should be easy to check History of Computing in the 20th Century.
wrote:
DEUCE,
rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
telephone line.
There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
just been got going, about 1951.
For a comment like the one you quote, the author might have been J.
Wilkinson.
Should be easy to check History of Computing in the 20th Century.
Bill Findlay
May 18, 2013, 11:47:48 AM5/18/13
to
On 18/05/2013 12:01, in article
19971e08-b243-4dca...@wb17g2000pbc.googlegroups.com, "Robin
Vowels" <robin....@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 15, 2:34锟絧m, "Charles Richmond" <numer...@aquaporin4.com>
>> the DEUCE) computer. 锟絀t was written by someone who worked on the machine,
>> may say FRIDAY when it's actually Tuesday!! 锟絅o! 锟紿ave the program computer
>> the answer to a difficult differential equation. 锟絋hen whatever numbers come
quite some time later.
--
Bill Findlay
with blueyonder.co.uk;
use surname & forename;
19971e08-b243-4dca...@wb17g2000pbc.googlegroups.com, "Robin
Vowels" <robin....@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 15, 2:34锟絧m, "Charles Richmond" <numer...@aquaporin4.com>
> wrote:
>> Sometime in the late 80's (as I remember it), there was an article in BYTE
>> magazine about computer history. 锟絋he article discussed the ACE (or perhaps
>> Sometime in the late 80's (as I remember it), there was an article in BYTE
>> the DEUCE) computer. 锟絀t was written by someone who worked on the machine,
>> and I think the article also appeared in _History of Computing in the 20th
>> Century_.
>>
>> The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
>> reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
>> *never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
>> date. 锟絀nevitably, some reporter will put in today's date... and the program
>> Century_.
>>
>> The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
>> reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
>> *never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
>> may say FRIDAY when it's actually Tuesday!! 锟絅o! 锟紿ave the program computer
>> the answer to a difficult differential equation. 锟絋hen whatever numbers come
>> out, you can swear up and down that it's right!!!
>>
>> Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
>> magazine???
>
>>
>> Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
>> magazine???
>
> As you say it's English Electric, the article would probably be about
> DEUCE,
> rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
>
> There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
> telephone line.
>
> There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
> just been got going, about 1951.
That would be the Pilot ACE, not ACE proper, which was not completed until
> DEUCE,
> rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
>
> There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
> telephone line.
>
> There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
> just been got going, about 1951.
quite some time later.
--
Bill Findlay
with blueyonder.co.uk;
use surname & forename;
Robin Vowels
May 18, 2013, 8:11:29 PM5/18/13
to
On May 19, 1:47 am, Bill Findlay <yaldni...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> On 18/05/2013 12:01, in article
> 19971e08-b243-4dca-8cf8-11658eea1...@wb17g2000pbc.googlegroups.com, "Robin
> On 18/05/2013 12:01, in article
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Vowels" <robin.vow...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On May 15, 2:34 pm, "Charles Richmond" <numer...@aquaporin4.com>
> > wrote:
> >> Sometime in the late 80's (as I remember it), there was an article in BYTE
> >> magazine about computer history. The article discussed the ACE (or perhaps
> >> Sometime in the late 80's (as I remember it), there was an article in BYTE
> >> the DEUCE) computer. It was written by someone who worked on the machine,
> >> and I think the article also appeared in _History of Computing in the 20th
> >> Century_.
>
> >> The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
> >> reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
> >> *never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
> >> date. Inevitably, some reporter will put in today's date... and the program
> >> Century_.
>
> >> The author discussed a demonstration that was put on for the newspaper
> >> reporters. He said that when you write a program for such a demonstration,
> >> *never* make it compute something simple like the day of the week for a
> >> may say FRIDAY when it's actually Tuesday!! No! Have the program computer
> >> the answer to a difficult differential equation. Then whatever numbers come
> >> out, you can swear up and down that it's right!!!
>
> >> Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
> >> magazine???
>
> > As you say it's English Electric, the article would probably be about
> > DEUCE,
> > rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
>
> > There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
> > telephone line.
>
> > There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
> > just been got going, about 1951.
>
> That would be the Pilot ACE, not ACE proper, which was not completed until
> quite some time later.
Correct. Pilot ACE, c. 1951. Slip of the tongue.
>
> >> Anyway, can anyone tell me the year and month of this issue of BYTE
> >> magazine???
>
> > As you say it's English Electric, the article would probably be about
> > DEUCE,
> > rather than ACE, though EE did have involvement in ACE.
>
> > There were public demonstrations for DEUCE, at least one via
> > telephone line.
>
> > There was also a journalist demonstration for ACE, when it had
> > just been got going, about 1951.
>
> That would be the Pilot ACE, not ACE proper, which was not completed until
> quite some time later.
0 new messages