Mind blowing to think about, but computers outdate us all. The first one (that I’m aware of) is in a museum on the eastern United States region, somewhere. It’s sole purpose was to navigate sailing ships safely through coastal waters. It predated vacuum tubes and used a complicated series of gears, ACTUALLY trying to operate in binary. Though a valiant project for it’s creator and a notion extremely far ahead of it’s time, the required amount of “ROM” (gears) needed to make it work proved too much for the designer and it remains at only a fraction the size needed to complete it’s intended task. We can only guess at how much tonnage the completed version required…and if the ships intended to carry this tool could have stayed afloat.
Some early machine looms that wove intricate patterns used changeable punch cards, which could be considered the forerunners of programmable computers. And there were some early geared calculating machines. But I’ve never hear of the navigation computer that you mentioned. Quite interesting!
Fraz on Bananas: “Thanks for the recipe! I’m gonna try to make that when Twink is away so she won’t yell at me.” May 7, 14:50
Fraz on Bananas: “I’d run for cover if Twink did that!” May 7, 14:47
David on Bananas: “Green bananas let them set. Too-ripe bananas make banana bread, of course. Banana Bread Recipe Ingredients 3 large bananas (very…” May 7, 14:41
H. Stacy on Bananas: “Watch out! Twink could replace the bananas with brussel sprouts.” May 7, 12:21
Fraz on Bananas: “Bananas are never ‘just right’!” May 7, 10:57
Sandee @ Comedy Plus on Bananas: “Some wombies are never happy. I laughed out loud. Have a fabulous day and rest of the week. 🙂” May 7, 10:48
Mind blowing to think about, but computers outdate us all. The first one (that I’m aware of) is in a museum on the eastern United States region, somewhere. It’s sole purpose was to navigate sailing ships safely through coastal waters. It predated vacuum tubes and used a complicated series of gears, ACTUALLY trying to operate in binary. Though a valiant project for it’s creator and a notion extremely far ahead of it’s time, the required amount of “ROM” (gears) needed to make it work proved too much for the designer and it remains at only a fraction the size needed to complete it’s intended task. We can only guess at how much tonnage the completed version required…and if the ships intended to carry this tool could have stayed afloat.
Some early machine looms that wove intricate patterns used changeable punch cards, which could be considered the forerunners of programmable computers. And there were some early geared calculating machines. But I’ve never hear of the navigation computer that you mentioned. Quite interesting!
I feel like Fraz does.
The internet is sucking our lives away!