Introduction

Question 1

Machines before ENIAC

Answer 1

much slower
carried out calculations but the sequence of instructions was fixed and built into the hardware -> could not be reprogrammed

Question 2

ENIAC project introduced:

Answer 2

• the vocabulary of programs and programming
• automation of higher-level control functions such as branches and looping
• successor: EDVAC

Question 3

universal solvent

Answer 3

achieving something of that old dream of alchemy by making an astounding variety of other technologies vanish into itself
began as a highly specialized technology and has moved toward universality and ubiquity

Question 4

Turing’s machine

Answer 4

Computer scientists have a adopted a term from Alan Turing, the universal machine because of how flexible computers were
started of very limited, but soon became more powerful and general purpose oriented
In contrast to Turing machine (that progressed toward theoretical universality) the real technology moved toward practical universality (machine then is called universal solvent

Question 5

relay calculators

Answer 5

Harvard Mark 1: automatic sequence controlled calculator
Colossus machines: applied logical tests to inputs from encrypted messages and electronically simulated code wheels
The ABC, or Atanasoff-Berry Computer, built at Iowa State, used a fixed program to solve systems of linear equations