"The ENIAC, an Electronic Computing Machine." in: NATURE.

Hartree, Douglas R. "The ENIAC, an Electronic Computing Machine." Macmillan & Co., London, 1946. In "Nature", Vol 158. July - December, 1946. (52), 956pp, illustrations throughout the text, with the Hartree on pp 500-506, illustrated with three photos including the famous one appearing on page 501showing most of the machine. First printing of the "first paper on an electronic digital computer published in a large-circulation international scientific journal ["Nature"]."--Jeremy Norman's Origins of Cyberspace, 648. [++] The volume is fresh and clean though there are two binding semi-minor issues: first, the cloth boards are a bit thin for a book this size so the front board is slightly bowed. Second, the hinges are starting to break, though it is at this point the paper of the pastedowns and free endpapers that are broken (see pic). Overall, I'd say that this was still a Very Good copy (6/10) [++] The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer built 1943-45) was the first large-scale, fully electronic, general-purpose digital computer to operate successfully. It was a decimal non-specific general purpose numerical machine, programmable by physical configuration (via plugboards, switch settings, cable routing). [++] Hartree writes a great introduction to the machine and then proceeds in explaining it to the advanced-general reader. The subheads include "two main classes f computing equipment"; "arithmetical processes, memory, and organisation"; general construction of the ENIAC"; accumulator"; "multiplier"; "divider and square rooter"; "function tables, input and output equipment"; "master programmer"; "set-up and use"; "examples". This is a very well organized and highly readable and important paper.…