Charles Babbage was thirty years old in 1821, as was his close friend, John Herschel, and in English intellectual circles they were both regarded as brilliant mathematicians. One day as Babbage worked in preparing logarithmic tables, a tedious and boring task, he commented to Herschel that he thought he could invent a machine to do these calculations with far more speed and accuracy than a human calculator could. And so was born an idea that would fascinate, tantalize, and absorb him for the remainder of his life. Over the years he drew plans, expanded them, modified them, and finally invented two machines, the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine. The first was capable only of generating tables, but the Analytical Engine could do much more. It could convert into numbers and print the results of any formula that might be required. It could also develop any analytical formula the laws of whose formation were given. Using punched cards it could store early results in a calculation and then use them to make further calculations when they were required. He had invented the first mechanical computer.
Charles Babbage and The Countess
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Biographies in story form,
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This review is from: Charles Babbage and The Countess (Paperback)
This thick tome is thick for a reason: it's two intertwined biographies. Not only that, the whole thing is told in story form, bringing Babbage and Lady Ada alive. Not boring at all.
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
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Very educational.,
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This review is from: Charles Babbage and The Countess (Paperback)
Don't pass up this chance to know more than the average bear. This book looks deep into their relationship and offers many items to think about. truly required for those who wish to be experts!
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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analytical engine, childhood lessons, tragic time, calculating engine, mathematical fairy, light may burn Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lady Byron, Difference Engine, Royal Society, Lord Byron, Miss Lamont, Ockham Park, Miss Doyle, John Crosse, Prime Minister, Dorset Street, Colonel Doyle, Newstead Abbey, Lord Lovelace, Ashley Combe, James's Square, Lady Lovelace, Woronzow Greig, Devonshire Street, Horsley Towers, Colonel Wildman, Mary Wilson, Aunt Augusta, Astronomical Society, John Herschel, Charles Babbage Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
analytical engine, childhood lessons, tragic time, calculating engine, mathematical fairy, light may burn Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lady Byron, Difference Engine, Royal Society, Lord Byron, Miss Lamont, Ockham Park, Miss Doyle, John Crosse, Prime Minister, Dorset Street, Colonel Doyle, Newstead Abbey, Lord Lovelace, Ashley Combe, James's Square, Lady Lovelace, Woronzow Greig, Devonshire Street, Horsley Towers, Colonel Wildman, Mary Wilson, Aunt Augusta, Astronomical Society, John Herschel, Charles Babbage Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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