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

Define rules for evaluating the boolean expression, Define Rules For Evalua...

Define Rules For Evaluating the Boolean Expression? Generally, the following rules must always be followed when evaluating the Boolean expression: Primary, perform all in

Texts in the text elements of the program, Which Texts  in the text elemen...

Which Texts  in the text elements of the program helps in changing the displayed names of variables in the parameters statement. Selection text in the elements of the program

Natural interfaces, A breakthrough in the AI intelligence the development ...

A breakthrough in the AI intelligence the development of natural interfaces is a prerequisite to the optimal use of computers by human beings. It incorporates: a. Natural La

What are inertial and non-inertial frame of references, Q. What are inertia...

Q. What are inertial and non-inertial frame of references? (i) Inertial (or) unaccelerated frames: Bodies in this frame follow Newton's law of intertia as well as othe

PHB, Power pc h bus

Power pc h bus

What is incidence matrix, Incidence Matrix: - This is the incidence matrix ...

Incidence Matrix: - This is the incidence matrix for an undirected group. For directed graphs, the vertex from where an edge is originating will have +1 and the vertex where the ed

Characteristics of magnetic disk, Q. Characteristics of Magnetic disk? ...

Q. Characteristics of Magnetic disk? Tracks and Sectors: Disk is divided in concentric rings known as tracks. Thus a track is one complete rotation of disk underneath read/wr

Rpn procedure, Apply this algorithm to your MASM program 1) Declare the ...

Apply this algorithm to your MASM program 1) Declare the following variables in your data segment: .data ; ; These are the values of the variables ; Variables

#title.linear programming, zmax=7.5x1-3x2 subject to constraints 3x1-x2-x3>...

zmax=7.5x1-3x2 subject to constraints 3x1-x2-x3>=3 x1-x2+x3>=2 x1,x2,x3>=0

Explain implementation techniques, Explain Implementation techniques Im...

Explain Implementation techniques Implementation techniques(e.g. remote invocation, HTTP). An event-based cooperation can be executed using message passing or it can  be based

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