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GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Nicholas Marty26-Nov-14 3:40
professionalNicholas Marty26-Nov-14 3:40 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
OriginalGriff26-Nov-14 4:00
mveOriginalGriff26-Nov-14 4:00 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Argonia26-Nov-14 5:17
professionalArgonia26-Nov-14 5:17 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
OriginalGriff26-Nov-14 5:37
mveOriginalGriff26-Nov-14 5:37 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Mark_Wallace26-Nov-14 4:30
Mark_Wallace26-Nov-14 4:30 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
BillWoodruff26-Nov-14 7:24
professionalBillWoodruff26-Nov-14 7:24 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
OriginalGriff26-Nov-14 7:59
mveOriginalGriff26-Nov-14 7:59 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
BillWoodruff26-Nov-14 9:20
professionalBillWoodruff26-Nov-14 9:20 
I'm not sure that the Jacquard Loom can be considered digital. Certainly the Loom meets the test of "fully programmable" in the sense that, up to its mechanical/physical limits, it could render any design that could be made with the thread at hand.

And, the cardboard "program" (sewn together cards) was, indeed, rolled off a spindle in a sequence, as I recall (based on reading over thirty-years ago). No undo, no goto, no recursion: the ultimate declarative language ? Smile | :)

Would a true "digital" computer have to have a memory-store, and the capability of some kind of branching based on conditional evaluation, and looping ? I think so. I'm trying to remember the names of those three Italian theorists who stipulated that those three attributes were essential for a Turing machine, but drawing a blank.

I'm inclined to think the true "computer" in the case of the Jacquard Loom was the human intelligence that figured out what cards were needed, and how they should be punched.

cheers, Bill
«If you search in Google for 'no-one ever got fired for buying IBM:' the top-hit is the Wikipedia article on 'Fear, uncertainty and doubt'»  What does that tell you about sanity in these times?

GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Simon O'Riordan from UK26-Nov-14 3:35
Simon O'Riordan from UK26-Nov-14 3:35 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Jochen Arndt26-Nov-14 3:51
professionalJochen Arndt26-Nov-14 3:51 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
KarstenK26-Nov-14 2:49
mveKarstenK26-Nov-14 2:49 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
den2k8826-Nov-14 2:58
professionalden2k8826-Nov-14 2:58 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Mike Hankey26-Nov-14 2:54
mveMike Hankey26-Nov-14 2:54 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Marc Clifton26-Nov-14 3:18
mvaMarc Clifton26-Nov-14 3:18 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Simon O'Riordan from UK26-Nov-14 3:37
Simon O'Riordan from UK26-Nov-14 3:37 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
User 483504726-Nov-14 3:46
User 483504726-Nov-14 3:46 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Mark_Wallace26-Nov-14 4:16
Mark_Wallace26-Nov-14 4:16 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
BillWoodruff26-Nov-14 7:33
professionalBillWoodruff26-Nov-14 7:33 
GeneralRe: "World's First Computer" Pin
Mike Meinz27-Nov-14 3:25
Mike Meinz27-Nov-14 3:25 
GeneralSig Sauer P220 Pin
Marco Bertschi26-Nov-14 1:13
protectorMarco Bertschi26-Nov-14 1:13 
GeneralRe: Sig Sauer P220 Pin
P0mpeyBoy26-Nov-14 1:33
P0mpeyBoy26-Nov-14 1:33 
GeneralRe: Sig Sauer P220 Pin
Keith Barrow26-Nov-14 1:58
professionalKeith Barrow26-Nov-14 1:58 
GeneralRe: Sig Sauer P220 Pin
Rage26-Nov-14 2:16
professionalRage26-Nov-14 2:16 
GeneralRe: Sig Sauer P220 Pin
OriginalGriff26-Nov-14 2:29
mveOriginalGriff26-Nov-14 2:29 
GeneralRe: Sig Sauer P220 Pin
tgrt26-Nov-14 4:15
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