Harvard mark-I and the bug, Computer Engineering

Assignment Help:

The next important effort in the direction of devising an electromechanical computer was made at Harvard University mutually sponsored by IBM and Department of UN Navy, Howard Aiken of Harvard University created a system known as Mark I in 1944. Mark I was a decimal machine means that computations were performed employing decimal digits.

Some of you should have heard a term known as 'bug'. It is mostly used to denote errors in computer programs. This term was invented when one day a program in Mark-I didn't run accurately because of a moth short-circuiting the computer. Since then moth or bug has been linked with problems or errors in computer programming. So process of eliminating error in a program is termed as 'debugging'.

The common shortcomings of these electromechanical and mechanical computers were: 

  • Inertia/Friction of moving components limited speed.
  • Data movement using liners and gears was very unreliable and difficult.

Change was to have a storing and switching mechanism with no moving parts. The electronic switching device 'triode' vacuum tubes were used so first electronic computer was born.


Related Discussions:- Harvard mark-I and the bug

Design of structure chart, Design of structure chart - Standard qualit...

Design of structure chart - Standard quality structure charts result in programs that are modular, reusable and simple to execute. - Measures include: Cohesion

Why does ipv6 use separate extension headers, Why does IPV6 use separate ex...

Why does IPV6 use separate extension headers? Explain. The extension headers in Ipv6 are utilized for economy and extensibility. Partitioning the datagram functionality in sepa

Magnetic storage - computer architecture, Magnetic storage - computer archi...

Magnetic storage - computer architecture: Magnetic storage uses different type of patterns of magnetization on a magnetically coated surface to store information. Magnetic sto

What is the main use of structures, What is The main use of structures ...

What is The main use of structures The main use of structures is to lump together collections of disparate variable types, so they can conveniently be treated as a unit. For ex

What is circular shift, What is Circular shift The circular shift is al...

What is Circular shift The circular shift is also called as rotate operation. It circulates bits of the register around two ends and there is no loss of information. This is do

Linear model., what is linear model and its type

what is linear model and its type

Explain the ccitt hierarchical structure of switching, Explain the CCITT hi...

Explain the CCITT hierarchical structure of switching using block schematic. Hierarchical network are able of handing heavy traffic where needed, and at similar time use mini

What is compact disk recordable, Q. What is Compact Disk Recordable? To...

Q. What is Compact Disk Recordable? To accommodate applications in which just one or a small number of copies of a set data is required write-once read-many CD called as CD Rec

What is virtual memory, What is virtual memory? Virtual memory is a met...

What is virtual memory? Virtual memory is a method used in some large computer systems that allow the user to construct program as by a large memory space were available, equal

Three different types of convergences, Three dissimilar types of convergenc...

Three dissimilar types of convergences are: 1.  The convergence of e-commerce and wireless technology  2.  The Convergence of E-Commerce and IP Business-Grade Messaging 3

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd