Interim Progress Report on the Physical Realization of an Electronic Computing Instrument (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Julian H. Bigelow

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0365689149 ISBN 13: 9780365689140

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

From the dawn of electronic computing to real experiments: a clear blueprint for a general‑purpose machine

This nonfiction work outlines the early program to realize an electronic computing instrument with input/output, arithmetic, memory, and control as four essential organs. It explains how the project aims to combine these parts into a general‑purpose machine that can run routines without special programming devices, using a binary system with 40 binary places per entry.

The text covers the development path from ambitious goals to practical steps, including the plan for a two‑part memory and a phased experimentation program. It also describes the move from a distant, fully operational machine to a breadboard‑style model that can be tested computationally while improvements continue.

• The core objective and the four essential components of the design.
• The decision to use binary coding and the target data precision and speeds.
• The staged approach: exploratory work, component design, operable design, and fault elimination.
• The idea of an early “bread beard and plate” model to enable early evaluation and learning.

Ideal for readers of computing history and early machine design who want a concise view of goals, constraints, and the experimental path toward a practical electronic computer.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0365689149
• ISBN 13: 9780365689140
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 301