4 ms·
Is an early 20th century mechanical desk calculator a computer? There is no consensus on definition but for me, a computer follows a program. Maybe even only
by retrac 2y ago
Is an early 20th century mechanical desk calculator a computer? There is no consensus on definition but for me, a computer follows a program. Maybe even only one fixed program. But a program. If there is no stepping through a program it is not a computer.
Does the iterative method used by the difference engine constitute a program?
- lazide 2y agoThe term ‘computer’ originates from humans trained (and paid!) to explicitly do lots of math, so it seems to be.