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Eckert accused von Neumann specifically of doing so that he could consult for IBM on the matter. However, there is a problem with this: As I understand it, IBM
by masswerk 6y ago
Eckert accused von Neumann specifically of doing so that he could consult for IBM on the matter.
However, there is a problem with this: As I understand it, IBM wasn't that interested in computers at the time and actually stumbled into (electronic digital) computing by a government contract for replicating Whirlwind for the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE). On the other hand, Eckert also pointed out some interest shown repeatedly by von Neumann in bringing in commercial third parties into the project, so it may have been concerning any third party which may be interested in his consultancy, and this then became historically IBM.
- adrian_b 6y agoIBM was not yet interested in electronic computers. IBM was developing electromechanical computers and for a few years the electromechanical IBM SSEC (operating since January 1948) was the fastest computer with stored program, solving many important problems for the US government and for various companies. After their competitor Remington Rand introduced the first commercial electronic computers (UNIVAC), IBM also entered this market very quickly with a few commercial models (IBM 701 & IBM 702), then also with the faster electronic computers made for the US military, in the NORC and SAGE projects.