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High-Speed Computing Devices

YEAR: 1950
ITEM: Book
COMPANY: McGraw-Hill Book Company
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes

A very technical look at "computers" of the time. This was published in 1950 so it was likely written in 1949...as a result the authors give us a VERY early look at computing in the USA.

What were the systems mentioned? A quick perusal of the index shows several. The Differential Analyzers of both M.I.T. and General Electric (the authors focus on the G.E. at University of California at Los Angeles) are discussed. Both of these designs seem to be partially mechanical...gears and shafts! The book was written at a time when electronic differential analyzers were beginning to be used. It is during the discussion of that changeover from mechanical to electical that the authors mention the REAC (Reeves Electronic Analogue Computer).

A commercial electronic differential analyzer is being produced by the Reeves Instrument Corporation, and is called the REAC. The basic machine contains 20 d-c amplifiers, of which seven are integrating amplifiers, seven are inverting amplifiers, and six are summing amplifiers. ... Provision is made to couple several REAC's together in order to increase the capacity. A single machine will handle differential equations up to the seventh order.

The book also mentions the UNIVAC machine which is still under construction:

"At the time of this writing, practically all production drawings have been completed, and the first of six UNIVAC systems is now under constructions.

The first UNIVAC would be delivered in March 1951 to the US Census Bureau and the USCB had a dedication.

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