Topic: Could the Computer Age Have Begun in Victorian England? (Read 934 times)
By technicality, it started with the Abacus. But yes, it picked up speed thousands of years later when Babbage and Lovelace worked together. The invention of the transistor made gates and circuits possible, and further pushed it forward. But I believe the actually era started with the von Neumann architecture. Which, from what I remember, is the bases in which all modern computers act today.
...... Steampunk? 
Yup, this particular "what if..." is one of the core ones for Steampunk.
...... Steampunk?
Not really "news". One of the first retail software stores was called "Babbage's".
Also, the first hacker:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace
Not to be confused with "Lady Ada" of Arduino fame:
http://www.adafruit.com/
Also, the first hacker:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace
Not to be confused with "Lady Ada" of Arduino fame:
http://www.adafruit.com/
It is interesting, but it isn't really new. This project has been underway for over two years.
What I find most annoying in the quoted article is the following statement:
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are so irrelevant to this subject. I think Alan Turing and John von Neumann would have been better persons to credit. As an aside, consider the bombe, developed by Alan Turing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombe
Video of bombe in operation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzooYzhzJo
What I find most annoying in the quoted article is the following statement:
Quote
A Victorian-era device might have jumpstarted the Computer Age more than 100 years before the first personal computers of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are so irrelevant to this subject. I think Alan Turing and John von Neumann would have been better persons to credit. As an aside, consider the bombe, developed by Alan Turing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombe
Video of bombe in operation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzooYzhzJo
Ah, yes, related to the difference engine, I'm sure.
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling wrote a pretty good alternate history novel featuring it.
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling wrote a pretty good alternate history novel featuring it.
Beat me to it. Excellent book, even had a pneumatic "internet," if I recall correctly.
i agree that it needs some sort of background image, english notes have famous/influential people, USA has presidents. bitcoins could have cryptographers, computing pioneers, revolutionaries. anything that can be associated with bitcoins
This is an outstanding idea.
Charles Babbage
Claude Shannon
Alan Turing
Gordon Moore
Jack Kilby
and there's many more.
Ah, yes, related to the difference engine, I'm sure.
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling wrote a pretty good alternate history novel featuring it.
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling wrote a pretty good alternate history novel featuring it.
that would be interesting to see I think...
Could the Computer Age Have Begun in Victorian England? | Charles Babbage Analytical Engine | LiveScience
Interesting news.
Quote
A Victorian-era device might have jumpstarted the Computer Age more than 100 years before the first personal computers of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. That century-old dream has inspired a British programmer to launch a crowd-funding effort that can finally make the steam-powered "Analytical Engine" a reality.
The early computer concept — a brass-and-iron machine the size of a small steam locomotive — came from the mind of Charles Babbage, a famed mathematician who tinkered with different designs for the Analytical Engine until his death in 1871. The Plan 28 project aims to build Babbage's machine by raising $8 million (5 million in British pounds) over the next 10 years. ...
The early computer concept — a brass-and-iron machine the size of a small steam locomotive — came from the mind of Charles Babbage, a famed mathematician who tinkered with different designs for the Analytical Engine until his death in 1871. The Plan 28 project aims to build Babbage's machine by raising $8 million (5 million in British pounds) over the next 10 years. ...
Interesting news.
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