Communications of the ACM
Refine your search:
From BLOG@CACM
How Does One Calculate With A Circular Slide Rule?
The circular slide rule was widely used until the 1970s.
From BLOG@CACM
The Evolution of Computing Power in Switzerland
Milestones in the history of computing from the Swiss National Supercomputing Center, Lugano.
From BLOG@CACM
Soresini: A Very Rare Book on the History of Computing
The work is an extremely instructive, rich history of calculating technology. It also includes the analog world and automata, and is written in Italian.
From BLOG@CACM
Charles Babbage and the Loom
Babbage wanted to control his analytical engine, regarded as the ancestor of the modern-day computer, with punched cards.
From BLOG@CACM
The World's Most Magnificent Historical Calculating Machines
The design of today's electronic computers is usually not very appealing, in contrast to magnificent mechanical calculating machines from earlier times.
From BLOG@CACM
Konrad Zuse's Guestbook: a Treasure Trove
Computer scientist Konrad Zuse created the world's first programmable computer, the functional program-controlled Turing-complete Z3.
From BLOG@CACM
An Enigmatic Device from Denmark
Discovery of a very rare surveying instrument in Denmark.
From BLOG@CACM
How Do You Calculate on the Abacus?
Considering the use of one of the most long-lived calculating devices.
From BLOG@CACM
Tracking Down a Seminal Work on Computer Construction – in Russian
A Russian edition of Rutishauser's standard work on computer construction.
From BLOG@CACM
Discovery: User Manual of the Oldest Surviving Computer in the World
A rare find: the user manual of the oldest surviving computer in the world, the Zuse Z4 relay machine (1945).
From BLOG@CACM
Preparation for Building the First Swiss Digital Computer (Ermeth)
Eduard Stiefel's study trip to the U.S. in 1948/1949.
From BLOG@CACM
Automatic Translators are Not Really Capable of Learning
One does not get the impression the Google Translate and DeepL translation programs are self-learning and have made real progress.
From BLOG@CACM
The World's Largest Commercial Cylindrical Slide Rule has a Scale Length of 24m
The world's largest mass-produced cylindrical slide rules come from Loga-Calculator AG in Zurich/Uster, Switzerland.
From BLOG@CACM
Would There Be Computers Without Easter?
Finding roots of computing in the computation of Easter.
From BLOG@CACM
How Does a Pantograph Work?
Pantographs have been widely used for centuries; for example, in surveying and embroidery. With these devices, drawings can be enlarged and reduced.
From BLOG@CACM
Why Is There No Well-Known Swiss IT Industry?
Herbert Bruderer asks why no information technology industry emerged in Switzerland in the 1950s, despite the appearance of computers from several sources.
From BLOG@CACM
Leonardo da Vinci's Robot Lion
We are celebrating the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death with a major exhibition of the Renaissance painter's works.
From BLOG@CACM