Before Computers, Humans Executed Algorithms
In short: Long before electronic machines, 'computers' were people who followed careful procedures by hand, and the first calculating engine was designed around a method they already used.
A 1:25 short film in the series “From Fingers to Qubits”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian American Women's History Museum blog), “Before Computers Were Machines, They Were Women. Here Are Six Places Where Human Computers Built Modern Science”; Science Museum (Science Museum Group), “Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum”; Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian Stories; article by John Gibbons, March 27, 2018), “Women “computers” mapped the universe in the 19th century”; Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian Institution), “The Women Who Mapped the Universe and Still Couldn’t Get Any Respect”; NASA (NASA History, NASA History News & Notes), “When the Computer Wore a Skirt: Langley’s Computers, 1935–1970 - NASA”; Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge, “Charles Babbage's Difference Engine | Whipple Museum of the History of Science”.
Sources used in this film
- Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian American Women's History Museum blog) — Before Computers Were Machines, They Were Women. Here Are Six Places Where Human Computers Built Modern Science · View →
- Science Museum (Science Museum Group) — Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum · View →
- Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian Stories; article by John Gibbons, March 27, 2018) — Women “computers” mapped the universe in the 19th century · View →
- Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian Institution) — The Women Who Mapped the Universe and Still Couldn’t Get Any Respect · View →
- NASA (NASA History, NASA History News & Notes) — When the Computer Wore a Skirt: Langley’s Computers, 1935–1970 - NASA · View →
- Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge — Charles Babbage's Difference Engine | Whipple Museum of the History of Science · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian American Women's History Museum blog): Before Computers Were Machines, They Were Women. Here Are Six Places Where Human Computers Built Modern Science
- Also: Charles Babbage’s Difference Engines and the Science Museum | Science Museum
- Also: Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian Stories; article by John Gibbons, March 27, 2018): Women “computers” mapped the universe in the 19th century
- Also: Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian Institution): The Women Who Mapped the Universe and Still Couldn’t Get Any Respect
- Also: NASA (NASA History, NASA History News & Notes): When the Computer Wore a Skirt: Langley’s Computers, 1935–1970 - NASA
- Also: Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge: Charles Babbage's Difference Engine | Whipple Museum of the History of Science
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