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

What is priority interrupt, What is Priority interrupt. It is a system ...

What is Priority interrupt. It is a system that establishes a priority over the several resources to determined which condition are to be serviced first when two or more reques

Smli firewalls are different from the conventional, SMLI firewalls are diff...

SMLI firewalls are different from the conventional The SMLI firewalls are different from the conventional "stand in" proxies in a way that the stand-in proxies are used for th

Detail explanation of cryptographic modules, Detail explanation of Cryptogr...

Detail explanation of Cryptographic modules Physical security of the cryptographic modules is also built in order to provide total security of the whole system and protect from

Subsequent step in karnaugh map, The subsequent step in Karnaugh map is to ...

The subsequent step in Karnaugh map is to map truth table in the map. Mapping is done by putting a 1 in respective square belonging to 1 value in truth table. This mapped map is us

What will be the output of JK flipflop for J = 0 and K=1, For JK flipflop J...

For JK flipflop J = 0, K=1, the output after clock pulse will be ? Ans. J=0 and K=1, such inputs will reset the flip-flop, after the clock pulse. Therefore whatever be the earlie

Determine in detail about the vhdl, Determine in detail about the VHDL ...

Determine in detail about the VHDL Multiple design-units (entity/architecture pairs), which reside in the same system file, may be separately compiled if so desired. Though, it

Algorithm and pseudocodes, develop an algorithm using pseudocode for comput...

develop an algorithm using pseudocode for computing cos(x) and sin(x). use a sentinel controlled while loop. use the series definition of e^+-jx

Explain signed binary number system, Explain signed binary number system. ...

Explain signed binary number system. Ans. Signed Binary Numbers: In decimal number system positive numbers are signified by (+) sign and negative numbers are represented b

Explain normans execution-evaluation cycle model, Question 1: (a) How ...

Question 1: (a) How would you explain human reasoning? (b) Explain the different types of human reasoning? Question 2: (a) What are the computational factors affec

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