The World's Largest Computer in 1951

  • Thread starter Thread starter wolram
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Computer
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the ENIAC, the world's first general-purpose electronic computer, which stood 10 feet tall, occupied 1,000 square feet, and weighed approximately 30 tons. It utilized over 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches, and 18,000 vacuum tubes, consuming 150 kilowatts of power. Additionally, the conversation shifts to the Russian Ekranoplan, a Ground Effect Vehicle developed by Rostislav Alekseev, which could travel over 400 km/h and weighed 540 tons fully loaded. The Ekranoplan was designed for military transport and could carry over 100 tonnes of cargo.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electronic components such as resistors and capacitors
  • Familiarity with the concept of Ground Effect Vehicles
  • Knowledge of military transport technologies
  • Basic historical context of computing technology development
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the technical specifications and historical significance of the ENIAC
  • Explore the design and operational principles of Ground Effect Vehicles
  • Investigate the military applications of the Ekranoplan
  • Learn about the evolution of computing technology post-ENIAC
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for historians, technology enthusiasts, and engineers interested in the evolution of computing and transport technologies, particularly those focused on military applications and early electronic devices.

  • #721
\alpha = \frac {e^2}{2 \epsilon _o hc} \approx \frac {1}{137}

The following link is not from any reputed scientific source, and hence must be taken as a pop-sci account, with a little glitter thrown in for fun. The historical facts in it, however, are accurate and hence make it very read-worthy.

http://www.137.com/137/
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
  • #722
zoobyshoe said:
This was the largest of its kind ever built at the time. It could produce 1600 horsepower, and was about 20 feet tall. What was it, and where was it first installed? Hint: centenial

Without googling, I would say

The Centennial celebrated American industrial power. Its most famous exhibit was the gigantic 1600-HP Corliss steam engine that powered Machinery Hall. The first piece of the Statue of Liberty -- the hand and torch -- had just arrived from France and was put on exhibit. But it paled against the machinery -- the fruit of American factories, the raw muscle of our industries.
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi205.htm

But it's just a googleless guess. :rolleyes:
 
  • #723
zoobyshoe said:
This was the largest of its kind ever built at the time. It could produce 1600 horsepower, and was about 20 feet tall. What was it, and where was it first installed? Hint: centenial
If not for the "installed" bit, some WWII bomber might have fit the bill.
 
  • #724
Ivan Seeking said:
Without googling, I would say...
Just a minute while I google the answer...
...

...YES!
 
  • #725
Okay now wait a minute I got distracted... I still need to take a moment to think of a good googleproof question.

Better yet, I'll google for one! :biggrin:
 
  • #726
  • #727
Discovered in the mid 1800's:

"It is an up-faulted monoclinal gritty conglomerate [about] 5 miles long and 2 miles across..."

Now google that!
 
Last edited:
  • #728
Ivan Seeking said:
Discovered in the mid 1800's:



Now google that!
Just want to double-check. That is really 'monoclinal', not a typo of 'monoclonal', right?

Anyhow, sounds like some kind of volcanic island or reef.
 
  • #729
I added the [about], don't know why. I guess its automatic.
 
  • #730
It is "monoclinal".
 
  • #731
Devil's tower
 
  • #732
Not Devil's Tower
 
  • #733
Ayres rock (red rock) Australia.
 
  • #734
'Monoclinal' must be the geogolists' adjectival form of the already happy adjective, 'monoclinic' (which is a crystal lattice structure familiar to physicists and materials scientists). Geologists suck !

<runs to escape barrage of rotten tomatoes, eggs and dolomite chunks>

Ayers Rock sounds like a winner...
 
Last edited:
  • #735
Not Ayers rock.

Yes, I loved the language, which is why I chose to quote it. :biggrin:
 
  • #736
Gokul43201 said:
'Monoclinal' must be the geogolists' adjectival form of the already happy adjective, 'monoclinic' (which is a crystal lattice structure familiar to physicists and materials scientists).
Thanks for that clarification. I was figuring that monoclinal must mean 'flat'.

Gokul43201 said:
Ayers Rock sounds like a winner...
But he said that it was discovered in the 1800's. There were Aboriginies in Oz thousands of years before that.
 
  • #737
It's not Ayers rock, but I also take issue with the word "discovered".
 
  • #738
The sioux aquifer
 
  • #739
Not the sioux aquifer. The geography has gotten worse.
 
  • #740
Hell's Half Acre fault?
 
  • #741
hypnagogue said:
Hell's Half Acre fault?

Hey stranger!

No, but since I tried it first, I was waiting for that link to come up. :biggrin:
 
  • #742
I don't know why I was thinking volcanic. 'Upthrust' is more indicative of crustal shifts. So this is some honkin' huge chunk of pumice or something that is remote enough to have gone unnoticed until the 19th century.
 
  • #743
But we were doing quite well down under.
 
  • #744
...and monoclinal is a word that only a geologist could love.
 
  • #745
A direct clue: A world's record
 
  • #746
btw, this is not a clue, why doesn't this thread have a rating yet? It should I think. I voted for five stars. :approve:
 
  • #747
Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (a giant iron ore)...?

Daniel.
 
  • #748
Great Barrier Reef?
 
  • #749
Nope, nope.

Lets see if this kills it.

discovered June 3, 1858.
 
  • #750
brewnog said:
Great Barrier Reef?
First thing that I thought of, but that's organic, not geological.
 

Similar threads

Is Alan Turing given too much credit when it comes to computers?
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
5K
How to compute flexure and failure loads of acrylic sheets
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
15K