DAI 227 1ST hw questions.

DAI 227 Hw

1) How was unique about Charles Babbage Analytical Engine, compared to his original Difference Engine?

-Calculate by method of differences, and prints numbers, uses different sequence of punch cards,

2) What role did Ada Lovelace play in the development of the Analytical Engine?

-She became fascinated and enrolled herself as an interpreter for the machine. She was also known as the first computer programmer.

3) How was the ENIAC computer reprogrammed?

- It was individually rewiring 6000 switches manually.

4) Name an innovation that helped make programming faster post ENIAC (see ep. 2)

-Vacuum tubes.

5) What is it about binary counting that makes it so well suited to computers?

- Because Binary coding only consisted 1s and 0s which made it easier for engineering because they can be added and subtracted, instead of using the ten digits we use, its simple as turning a light bulb as on as 1 and off as 0.

6) In what ways did UNIVAC influence the portrayal of computers in popular culture in the 1950s? Give an example. (see ep. 2)

-Because the computers solved equations faster than humans can, scientist were ask to predict 45 years later of this super computer.

7) Codebreaking required the automatic manipulation of symbols to unscramble messages during WWII. What was the name of the rudimentary computer at Bletchley Park in England that unscrambled Nazi codes.

-Colossus machine, which later help won the war.

8) Alan Turing who understood the implications of such machines later went on to describe them as __________ machines.

-Intelligent.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Write two paragraphs for each:

9) Describe when you first used computers and what types of tasks you performed on them.

There are actually two parts to this answer for me, my first computer that my parents friend gave me looked like a tower with a handle on top. After a long time of tinkering, I eventually figured out that you were suppose to lay in on the side and a keyboard detaches from the bottom, where the keyboard came apart lies a small screen which served as a monitor. I did not ever figure out how to use that one, which probably explains why it was given away in the first place.

Shortly after the second computer in my life, the first functional, first taught, first everything was your typical mid 90’s desktop that ran Windows 95 but with no dial up internet. There were many things I remember associated with this computer, this ranged from learning to actually type, Microsoft office apps (office, powerpoint, and excel), and of course games. A few I remembered, was demos of Doom, Heretic, and wing commander.

10) How restricted do you think computers are in terms of what they can do compared to how they are most often used?

I would not say that they are actually restricted on any terms; people use computers for a variety of reasons. A business power broker probably run a computer to its limits, and where a grandma would probably use only 25% of a computer’s capability. If the machine already satisfies their needs then I really do not see how it is restricted.

 I mean by hacker standards it would be restricted but not by regular consumers. But really if a person understands how to use a computer, I think the possibilities are close to unlimited.