Ryan KidderRyan Kidder

Quotable QuotesQuotable Quotes Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with

18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1 ½ tons. - weigh only 1 ½ tons. - Popular Mechanics, 1949Popular Mechanics, 1949

Never trust a computer you can't lift. - Never trust a computer you can't lift. - Stan Mazor, 1970Stan Mazor, 1970

If the automobile had followed the same development If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside. - once a year, killing everyone inside. - Robert X. CringelyRobert X. Cringely

The Birth of EDVACThe Birth of EDVAC

Engineering design of ENIAC frozenEngineering design of ENIAC frozenBallistic Research Lab at Aberdeen, MD Ballistic Research Lab at Aberdeen, MD

elects Moore School of Electrical elects Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of PennsylvaniaEngineering, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. von Neumann’s “First Draft of a Report Dr. von Neumann’s “First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC”on the EDVAC”

Dr. von Neumann’s ReportDr. von Neumann’s Report

Proposed “a very high-speed automatic Proposed “a very high-speed automatic digital computing system, and in particular digital computing system, and in particular with its logical control”with its logical control”

Automatic computing system defined as “a Automatic computing system defined as “a device which can carry out instructions to device which can carry out instructions to perform calculations of a considerable perform calculations of a considerable order of complexity”order of complexity”

Five distinctions of deviceFive distinctions of device

Dr. von Neumann’s ReportDr. von Neumann’s Report

1.1. Device should contain specialized organs for Device should contain specialized organs for elementary arithmeticelementary arithmetic

2.2. Logical control of device can be best carried out by Logical control of device can be best carried out by central organcentral organ

3.3. A device which carries out complicated operation A device which carries out complicated operation sequences must have sufficient memory capacitysequences must have sufficient memory capacity

4.4. Must have device to transfer information from outside Must have device to transfer information from outside recording medium to central control and memoryrecording medium to central control and memory

5.5. Must have device to transfer information from central Must have device to transfer information from central control and memory to outside recording mediumcontrol and memory to outside recording medium

The Birth of EDVACThe Birth of EDVAC

Contract signed on April 12Contract signed on April 12thth, 1946 between the , 1946 between the Ordinance Department and the Trustees of the Ordinance Department and the Trustees of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

To design and develop a preliminary model of a To design and develop a preliminary model of a small small EElectronic lectronic DDiscrete iscrete VVariable ariable AAutomatic utomatic CCalculatoralculator

Originally allotted $100,000 ($962,000 today)Originally allotted $100,000 ($962,000 today) Final cost $467,000 ($4.5 Million today)Final cost $467,000 ($4.5 Million today)

DesignDesign

EDVAC I – Automatic addition, subtraction, EDVAC I – Automatic addition, subtraction, multiplication, programmed division, no internal multiplication, programmed division, no internal checking. Memory of 1,000 words.checking. Memory of 1,000 words.

EDVAC II – Fixed decimal point, basic arithmetic EDVAC II – Fixed decimal point, basic arithmetic processes automatic, added automatic checking. processes automatic, added automatic checking. Memory of 1,000 words. Memory of 1,000 words.

EDVAC III – Automatic floating decimal point, EDVAC III – Automatic floating decimal point, same features as EDVAC II, memory of 4,000 same features as EDVAC II, memory of 4,000 words.words.

Decided on EDVAC 1.5Decided on EDVAC 1.5

FeaturesFeatures

Binary system of numerationBinary system of numerationSerial arithmetic modeSerial arithmetic modeFour-address command structureFour-address command structureDuplicate circuitry for check purposesDuplicate circuitry for check purposesMajor improvement over ENIAC, which Major improvement over ENIAC, which

required considerable human effort to required considerable human effort to change programs, EDVAC uses magnetic change programs, EDVAC uses magnetic wireswires

OrganizationOrganization

1.1. Reader-recorder – contains equipment Reader-recorder – contains equipment required to transfer information from the heads required to transfer information from the heads to the processing delay and vice versato the processing delay and vice versa

2.2. Control – contains all operating buttons, lamps, Control – contains all operating buttons, lamps, control switches. Sends orders to the control switches. Sends orders to the dispatcher to start the machine; may also send dispatcher to start the machine; may also send words to high-speed memorywords to high-speed memory

3.3. Dispatcher – decode orders received from Dispatcher – decode orders received from control and memory, emit control signals to control and memory, emit control signals to other unitsother units

OrganizationOrganization

4.4. High-Speed Memory – used for temporary storage of High-Speed Memory – used for temporary storage of operands during arithmetic operations; contain operands during arithmetic operations; contain apparatus to decode addresses received from apparatus to decode addresses received from dispatcher and select memory position whose contents dispatcher and select memory position whose contents are to be transferred out of memory or to be replaced are to be transferred out of memory or to be replaced by incoming databy incoming data

5.5. Computer – performs rational operations on pairs of Computer – performs rational operations on pairs of numbers; answers compared with arithmetic unitnumbers; answers compared with arithmetic unit

6.6. Timer – emits clock pulses at intervals of 1 Timer – emits clock pulses at intervals of 1 microsecond and timing pulses at intervals of 48 microsecond and timing pulses at intervals of 48 microsecondsmicroseconds

Finished ProductFinished Product

Delivered to Computing Proving Ground in Delivered to Computing Proving Ground in August, 1949August, 1949

Problems with marginal circuits solved within 18 Problems with marginal circuits solved within 18 months, started operation in late 1951months, started operation in late 1951

Averaged 15-20 hours per week of solving Averaged 15-20 hours per week of solving mathematical problems by 1952mathematical problems by 1952

145 hours by 1961145 hours by 1961

Later ImprovementsLater Improvements

1953 - IBM card input-output adapter unit1953 - IBM card input-output adapter unit

1954 - Magnetic drum for an additional1954 - Magnetic drum for an additional

4,608 words of medium-speed storage4,608 words of medium-speed storage

1958 – Built-in floating point arithmetic unit1958 – Built-in floating point arithmetic unit

1960 – Magnetic tape system for additional 1960 – Magnetic tape system for additional storagestorage

Uses at Ballistic Research LabUses at Ballistic Research Lab1.1. Exterior ballistics problems such as high altitude, solar and lunar trajectories, Exterior ballistics problems such as high altitude, solar and lunar trajectories,

computation for the preparation of firing tables, and guidance control data for computation for the preparation of firing tables, and guidance control data for Ordnance weapons, including free-flight and guided missiles. Ordnance weapons, including free-flight and guided missiles.

2.2. Interior ballistics problems, including projectile, propellant and launcher Interior ballistics problems, including projectile, propellant and launcher behavior, e.g., physical characteristics of solid propellants, equilibrium behavior, e.g., physical characteristics of solid propellants, equilibrium composition and thermodynamic properties of rocket propellants, computation of composition and thermodynamic properties of rocket propellants, computation of detonation waves for reflected shock waves, vibration of gun barrels and the detonation waves for reflected shock waves, vibration of gun barrels and the flow of fluids in porous media. flow of fluids in porous media.

3.3. Terminal ballistics problems, including nuclear, fragmentation, and penetration Terminal ballistics problems, including nuclear, fragmentation, and penetration effects in such areas as explosion kinetics, shaped charge behavior, ignition, effects in such areas as explosion kinetics, shaped charge behavior, ignition, and heat transfer. and heat transfer.

4.4. Ballistic measurement problems, including photogrammetric, ionospheric, and Ballistic measurement problems, including photogrammetric, ionospheric, and damping of satellite spin calculations, reduction of satellite doppler tracking data, damping of satellite spin calculations, reduction of satellite doppler tracking data, and computation of satellite orbital elements. and computation of satellite orbital elements.

5.5. Weapon systems evaluation problems, including antiaircraft and antimissile Weapon systems evaluation problems, including antiaircraft and antimissile evaluation, war game problems, linear programming for solution of Army evaluation, war game problems, linear programming for solution of Army logistical problems, probabilities of mine detonations, and lethal area and kill logistical problems, probabilities of mine detonations, and lethal area and kill probabilities of mine detonations, and lethal area and kill probability studies of probabilities of mine detonations, and lethal area and kill probability studies of missiles. missiles.

EDVAC StatisticsEDVAC Statistics

Addition – 864 microsecondsAddition – 864 microseconds Subtraction – 864 microsecondsSubtraction – 864 microseconds Compare – 696 microsecondsCompare – 696 microseconds Multiply – 2,928 microsecondsMultiply – 2,928 microseconds Floating point add – 960 microsecondsFloating point add – 960 microseconds Floating point multiply – 1,248 microsecondsFloating point multiply – 1,248 microseconds

EDVACEDVAC