The ENIAC, an Electronic Computing Machine.

Hartree, Douglas R.

Published by Macmillan & Co., London, 1946

About this Item

First printing of this critical work in the history of computing and a foundational text that launched a circulation through an international scientific journal. In "Nature", Vol 158. October - December, 1946. Entire volume offred with ENIAC [Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer] article Pp. 500-506. [Entire volume: Pp. 459-956]. Hartree, a British mathematician, first learned of ENIAC in 1945, when he saw the as-yetuncompleted machine during a visit to the Moore School at the University of Pennsylvania. It was here that this first general-purpose Turing complete digital electronic computer, was built between 1943 and 1946. The first computer course was given at the Moore School in Summer 1946, leading to an explosion in computer development all over the world. Hartree was a participant in the lectures, advising on nonmilitary uses of the ENIAC while being the first Englishman to work with the machine. Later, Hartree helped stimulate the development of more powerful computers like Cambridge University's EDSAC. The ENIAC was 10 feet high, and 3 deepand contained 18,000 vacuum tubes, about 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, and 6,000 switches. It consumed 140 kilowatts, so much power that when operated the lights in a nearbytown dimmed. Royal 8vo bound in contemporary cloth. Provenance: Bookplates stamps on front free end-papers of the University of Oxford. Near fine and clean. 7½" - 10".

Seller Inventory # 275953

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The ENIAC, an Electronic Computing Machine.
• Publisher: Macmillan & Co., London
• Publication Date: 1946
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: first edition.
• Condition: very good
• Book Type: book
• Seller catalogs:
  • Computer Beginnings