Computers Foundations Of Modern Technology Nationals Save 4

Computers

UNIVAC


       The Universal Automatic Computer, UNIVAC I, was the first commercially marketed multipurpose computer. J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, designed the UNIVAC to handle both numbers and alphabetic characters, therefore accepting both language programming and number calculating. The UNIVAC was unique in that it separated both the input and output from the calculation space. Grace Hopper used her compiler to build her programming language, COBOL, and augment the abilities of the UNIVAC.

The Univac Computer. Image Courtesy Computer History Mueseum.

The Harvard Mark I Computer. Image Courtesy of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Harvard Mark I


       The Harvard Mark I, alternatively called the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, was used in the war efforts for the last years of World War II.  The Mark I was devised by Harvard Alumni Howard H. Aiken. Aiken wanted to solve complex math and physics problems that impeded his research, so he talked to leading tech companies about his ideas. IBM showed interest and helped construct the Mark I. 
       Grace Hopper ended up working for Aiken and programming the Mark I, showing its capabilities and versatility. During this project, Grace Hopper wrote the first computer manual while assigned to write a 500-page book explaining the history behind Mark I and a guide to programming it.