On 1 Jul 97 at 10:48, Brian L. Stuart wrote:
> Around the late 1930's there were three groups that were developing
<excellent and informative post snipped>
There's no mention here of the "computer" used by the British during
WWII at Bletchley Park. The British computer press often refer to
this as the first electronic programmable computer (although i've
always been reluctant to believe that outright as i'm aware that
project were well underway in the US and elsewhere at that time). It
was certainly used first in around 1940/1941 to break German codes
and i think it was instrumental in breaking the famous Enigma code
and thereby contributed greatly to the allied war effort.
I would be most interested in hearing peoples' views on where the
Bletchley Park computer (i can't remember its name) fits in the
timeline discussed here and indeed whether or not it was the first
electronic programmable computer in the world.
If this is getting a little off-topic for this list please mail me
direct.
...Nick.
--
Nick Challoner nickc_at_ladyland.demon.co.uk
Aviation photographs at: http://www.ladyland.demon.co.uk
"Bother" said Pooh, as he deleted his root directory.
Received on Tue Jul 01 1997 - 16:45:05 BST