The Electronic Revolution: Part 1

Question 1

Motivations for developing the ABC

Answer 1

Using modern calculators to solve complex physics problems motivated Atanasoff to find something better

Question 2

ABC significance

Answer 2

First electronic computer;
First machine to incorporate regenerative memory

Question 2

ABC memory

Answer 2

Not a stored program computer. Had a drum with capacitors sticking out of it

Question 3

ENIAC units type 1

Answer 3

Memory: 20 accumulators that stored a 10 digit number each

Question 4

ENIAC units type 2

Answer 4

Multiplication unit: A hard wired single digit multiplication table

Question 5

ENIAC units type 3

Answer 5

A combined division and square root unit

Question 6

ENIAC units type 4

Answer 6

Three function tables: Could store tables of function values

Question 7

ENIAC units type 5

Answer 7

Input unit (120 punch cards/minute): A memory buffer was constructed out of 8 relays

Question 8

ENIAC units type 6

Answer 8

Output unit(100 punch cards/minute)

Question 9

ENIAC units type 7

Answer 9

Master programmer: repeating instructions “loops”

Question 10

ENIAC bottleneck

Answer 10

Accumulators were limiting speed;
20 accumulators could not store all partial results;
Multiplication and Division are resource intensive

Question 11

ENIAC cooling

Answer 11

Vacuum tubes produce a great deal of heat. Computer was air cooled, each panel had its own thermometer

Question 12

ENIAC programming

Answer 12

programming = rewiring the cables going to/from sockets;
Eventually became programmable in the modern sense

Question 13

ENIAC late enhancements

Answer 13

Magnetic drum to store intermediate results;
More memory added

Question 14

Ballistic trajectory details

Answer 14

Gun type and size, type of shell being fired, charge of the propellant used, elevation of the gun

Question 15

Ballistic table

Answer 15

Contained solutions to 3000 trajectories, however took too long to make manually