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 seek time and latency time, Define seek time and latency time. ...

Define seek time and latency time.  The time taken by the head to move to the appropriate cylinder or track is known as seek time. Once the head is at right track, it must wai

C, Write a ‘C’ functions to arrange the elements of an integer array in suc...

Write a ‘C’ functions to arrange the elements of an integer array in such a way that all the negative elements are before the positive elements. The array is passed to it as an arg

Neural network for two predictors thickness, 2) Consider the following neur...

2) Consider the following neural network for two predictors Thickness and Alignment and two classes Print Quality High and Low. Some weights are shown in the table, including weigh

What is repository info. systems, What is Repository Info. Systems? It ...

What is Repository Info. Systems? It is a tool with which you can create data stored in the ABAP/4 Dictionary available

How does tcp achieve reliability, How does TCP achieve reliability? One...

How does TCP achieve reliability? One of the most significant technologies is retransmission. While TCP stands data the sender compensates for packet loss through implementing

Create a web page from which customers can order equipment, Q. Create a Web...

Q. Create a Web page from which customers can order equipment? Suppose your boss wants you to create a Web page from which customers can order computer equipment. You need to c

Argument be passed to a subroutine in programming, How many ways can an arg...

How many ways can an argument be passed to a subroutine in programming? Ans)  An argument can be passed in two way in a programming language. They are Pass by Value and Passi

How many and gates are required to realize Y = CD+EF+G, How many AND gates ...

How many AND gates are required to realize Y = CD+EF+G ? Ans. Y = CD + EF + G for realize this two AND gates are needed (for CD and EF).

What is reducibility, What is reducibility?  The primary method of prov...

What is reducibility?  The primary method of proving some problems are computationally unsolvable.       It is known as reducibility. Reducibility always includes two problems

Operating system, explain the various types of computer systems

explain the various types of computer systems

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