ENIAC
ENIAC is a book by Scott McCartney. It is a detailed account of the trials and tribulations of the first real computer, the ENIAC. The ENIAC was the first true computer, shunning gears and other mechanical parts to transmit and calculate in favor of an entirely electrical system, using electrons to send and receive information. The ENIAC revolutionized the world, even though it was built too late for its initial purpose; the creation of artillery fire tables. This book details the story of the creation of the ENIAC and the aftermath. It also talks about the successes and failures of John Mauchly and Pres Eckert, the two creators of the ENIAC and several other systems, such as the EDVAC, UNIVAC, and BINAC, among numerous other inventions. Also discussed is their revocation of the ENIAC patent, which cracked the monopoly in computer technology and allowed that industry to flourish, culminating in our use of computers today. The initial chapters deal with the history of computers. Of major interest is Jean-Marie Jacquard's punch card loom. This loom stitched a pattern based on a series of punch cards inserted into it. This punch card design inspired many of the first computer programs, as creators struggled with ways to make their
Mauchly and Eckert soon caught the eye of Lt. Herman Goldstine, of the US Army. He understood that Mauchly and Eckert's electronic calculator could be used to compute firing tables for Army Artillery. After meeting with Mauchly and Eckert, Goldstine arranged for a meeting with top Army brass, who eventually approved funding for this electronic calculator, dubbed the Electronic Numerical Integrator, or ENIAC. The majority of the book speaks on the design of the ENIAC, of the many revolutionary features of its design, and of its eventual unveiling for the public after World War II. ENIAC was an informative, well-written narrative account of the trials and tribulations of the first computer and the lives of its inventors after its creation. Because of an injustice done to its inventors, Mauchly and Eckert, the computer world was allowed to flourish into the all present empire that it is today, influencing all aspects of our lives, from shopping to the stock market. It is good to know of the difficulties faced by the oft-foolish inventors of the first computer, so that we will not be doomed to repeat them, time and time again. The ENIAC, and the EDVAC that followed, inspired many other competitors to take to the field of computer design. Culminating in a monopoly held by two major companies of the time, the war over the future of the computer soon took a drastic t
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 927
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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