Title
The ENIAC. Lecture by J. Presper Eckert and John W. MauchlyCatalog Number
102639639Type
Moving imageDescription
The First International Research Conference on the History of Computing was a milestone in the history of computing, drawing a global elite of computer pioneers from the first generation of electronic digital computing. Most talks are approximately 45 minutes in duration and feature a lecture with a brief question and answer period afterwards.This lecture is part of a paper by the lead ENIAC electronics and systems designer Presper Eckert (who could not attend) as read by colleague John Mauchly. Eckert’s paper provides fascinating background on the technical and political aspects of the ENIAC project, from discussing control logic of the giant proposed machine with von Neumann to carefully adding the w “integrator” to the name to appeal to potential funders. One of ENIAC’s most impressive feats was to prove that a large-scale computing system could be built form relatively unreliable vacuum tubes – 18,000 of them in ENIAC’s case. Eckert discusses how this was achieved, with commentary by Mauchly on this point as well.
This lecture’s transcript was included in the edited volume from the conference, viz. Eckert, J.P., “The ENIAC,” in Metropolis, N., and Howlett, J., Rota, Gian-Carlo, A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, New York: Academic Press, 1980, pp. 525 – 539.
Date
1976-06-10Credits
Mauchly, John W.; Eckert, J. Presper (John Presper)Participants
Eckert, J. Presper (John Presper) |
Mauchly, John W., Speaker |
Place of Publication
Los Alamos, NM, USIdentifying Numbers
Other number | Reel 5 | Original tape numbering |