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 speculative execution, Define speculative execution. Speculative...

Define speculative execution. Speculative execution means that instructions are implemented before the processor is particular that they are in the correct execution sequence.

Functional units of a computer system, Functional units of a computer syste...

Functional units of a computer system: Digital computer systems consist of 3 distinct units. These units are as follows:  Central Processing unit Input unit and Output unit.

Massively parallel system and scalability, Massively Parallel System Re...

Massively Parallel System Refers to a parallel computer system having a great number of processors. The number in a great number of keeps increasing and currently it means more

Explain about microprocessors, Q. Explain about Microprocessors? Microp...

Q. Explain about Microprocessors? Microprocessors have instruction sets ranging from 20 to several hundred instructions, known as microprograms, which are stored in ROM to init

Design requirements of sequential circuit, What are the Requirements to des...

What are the Requirements to design Sequential circuit Ans . Design Requirements of Sequential circuit: (i) The circuit specifications translated into a state diagram

Illustrate why does a tea kettle sing, Q. Illustrate why does a tea kettle ...

Q. Illustrate why does a tea kettle sing? Answer:- There is a little attachment with a hole in it which acts as a whistle. It is inserted into the spout of the kettle as w

Help, Write a class encapsulating the concept of a circle? I have been work...

Write a class encapsulating the concept of a circle? I have been working on this program for awhile and this is all I have so far... What are my flaws in the program besides not ha

Comparison between risc and cisc - computer architecture, Comparison betwee...

Comparison between risc and cisc - computer architecture: CISC  Emphasis on hardware  Includes multi-clock complex instructions  Memory-to-memory

How can a function return a pointer to its calling routine, How can a funct...

How can a function return a pointer to its calling routine? The general form of a function is: type_specifier function_name(parameter list) { body of function; }

What are the fundamental steps in program development, What are the fundame...

What are the fundamental steps in program development The basic steps in program development are as follows: a. Program coding, design and documentation. b. Preparation o

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