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Calculation and Computation in the Pre-electronic Era - The Mechanical and Electrical Ages (Hardcover, 1st ed. 2017)
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Calculation and Computation in the Pre-electronic Era - The Mechanical and Electrical Ages (Hardcover, 1st ed. 2017)
Series: History of Computing
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Although it is popularly assumed that the history of computing
before the second half of the 20th century was unimportant, in fact
the Industrial Revolution was made possible and even sustained by a
parallel revolution in computing technology. An examination and
historiographical assessment of key developments helps to show how
the era of modern electronic computing proceeded from a continual
computing revolution that had arisen during the mechanical and the
electrical ages. This unique volume introduces the history of
computing during the "first" (steam) and "second" (electricity)
segments of the Industrial Revolution, revealing how this history
was pivotal to the emergence of electronic computing and what many
historians see as signifying a shift to a post-industrial society.
It delves into critical developments before the electronic era,
focusing on those of the mechanical era (from the emergence of the
steam engine to that of the electric power network) and the
electrical era (from the emergence of the electric power network to
that of electronic computing). In so doing, it provides due
attention to the demarcations between-and associated
classifications of-artifacts for calculation during these
respective eras. In turn, it emphasizes the history of comparisons
between these artifacts. Topics and Features: motivates exposition
through a firm historiographical argument of important developments
explores the history of the slide rule and its use in the context
of electrification examines the roles of analyzers, graphs, and a
whole range of computing artifacts hitherto placed under the
allegedly inferior class of analog computers shows how the analog
and the digital are really inseparable, with perceptions thereof
depending on either a full or a restricted view of the computing
process investigates socially situated comparisons of computing
history, including the effects of a political economy of computing
(one that takes into account cost and ownership of computing
artifacts) assesses concealment of analog-machine labor through
encasement ("black-boxing") Historians of computing, as well as
those of technology and science (especially, energy), will find
this well-argued and presented history of calculation and
computation in the mechanical and electrical eras an indispensable
resource. The work is a natural textbook companion for history of
computing courses, and will also appeal to the broader readership
of curious computer scientists and engineers, as well as those who
generally just have a yearn to learn the contextual background to
the current digital age. "In this fascinating, original work,
Tympas indispensably intertwines the histories of analog and
digital computing, showing them to be inseparable from the
evolution of social and economic conditions. " Prof. David Mindell,
MIT
General
Imprint: |
Springer London
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Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Series: |
History of Computing |
Release date: |
August 2013 |
First published: |
2014 |
Authors: |
Aristotle Tympas
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Dimensions: |
235 x 155mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
243 |
Edition: |
1st ed. 2017 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-84882-741-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Computing & IT >
General theory of computing >
General
|
LSN: |
1-84882-741-5 |
Barcode: |
9781848827417 |
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