The World's Largest Computer in 1951

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around historical and technical aspects of significant machines and vehicles, including the ENIAC computer and the Russian Ekranoplan. Participants engage in a quiz-like format, posing questions and providing hints about various inventions, their specifications, and historical context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the ENIAC, detailing its size, weight, components, and power consumption, while noting its limited processing power compared to modern devices.
  • Another participant identifies the ENIAC as the machine described in the previous post.
  • Participants discuss a large vehicle that weighs 540 tons, can travel over land and water, and is hinted to be built in Russia, leading to speculation about its identity.
  • Some participants propose that the vehicle in question is the Russian Ekranoplan, explaining its design and operational principles related to ground effect.
  • There is a discussion about a vehicle that achieved over 188 miles per gallon, with participants speculating on its type and historical significance, including a mention of a Harley Davidson motorcycle from 1908.
  • One participant describes a crude device involving a wooden stand, a funnel, acid, and copper wire, prompting further questions about its purpose.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the identity of some machines, particularly the vehicle that achieved high fuel efficiency, as various guesses and clarifications are made. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specifics of some inventions and their historical context.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the specifications and classifications of the vehicles discussed, particularly regarding the Ekranoplan's operational capabilities and the fuel efficiency claims of the motorcycle.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in the history of computing, engineering innovations, and the evolution of vehicle technology may find this discussion engaging.

  • #811
yomamma said:
is it matches?
No, and I'm subtracting ten points for such an off-the-wall guess. (How would the color affect the reusability of matches?)
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
  • #812
Black absorbs heat. Making it easier to combust.
 
  • #813
yomamma said:
Black absorbs heat. Making it easier to combust.
Make that twenty points off.
 
  • #814
In 1841, for a variety of reasons, mostly having to do with fraudulent re-use of postage stamps, the color of the one penny was changed from black to red. The term 'Penny Stars' is often used for this incomparably complex series of stamps which were in continual production from Fed. 10, 1841 until April 1862. The complexity of this series is due, ignoring at least 20 distinct shades color shades, not only to the hundreds of plates used for printing, but to that fact that 2 master dies, both imperforate and perforate issues (2 gauges as well as experimental perforations), 2 watermarks (and 2 varieties of one) and 4 fonts (alphabets) as well as various combinations were used for these stamps.

Anyone who wants to give one can, I'm leaving for a few hours.
 
  • #815
a gender-specified toy still is in existence today which was invented in 1959. Named after inventor's daughter

1) what was the invention?
2)who was the inventor?
3) who was the inventor's daughter?
 
  • #816
no, stupid. GOOGLE!
 
  • #817
Barbie Doll
Ruth Handler
Barbara
 
  • #818
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
  • #819
zoobyshoe said:
Barbie Doll
Ruth Handler
Barbara
Good job I;m going to bed
 
  • #820
yomamma said:
no, stupid. GOOGLE!
Hmm, so now "google" is a verb neogalism too. :bugeye:
 
  • #821
Mk said:
Hmm, so now "google" is a verb neogalism too. :bugeye:
Conjugated thus:

singular
I google
You google
He/She/It googles

plural
We google
You google
They google
 
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  • #822
Ok, I'll have another go since nobody else has for a while.


This man might have needed a poultry excuse to leave his job at Marconi in order to develop his 1956 invention.
 
  • #823
The hard disk drive was invented in 1956
 
  • #824
yomamma said:
The hard disk drive was invented in 1956


So was Play-Doh, but you need to think about the clues, and use google as a reference rather than a brute-force answer getterer.

Here's another clue: I don't often make spelling mistakes accidentally, re-read my last post.
 
  • #825
brewnog said:
I don't often make spelling mistakes accidentally, re-read my last post.
My first thought upon seeing it was Col. Saunders, but I wouldn't expect a Brit to ask that.
 
  • #826
Nope, but Col. Sanders' product would give you a clue as to the inventor of this thing.
 
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  • #827
OMG! Is it the rubber chicken?!?
 
  • #828
Dear god, no. It's cleverer than that, much cleverer.
 
  • #829
The turkey pan?
 
  • #830
Sigh...
 
  • #831
brewnog said:
Sigh...
Oh, wait! It's the vegetable turkey! Evo has one on the next thread down.
 
  • #832
It's *sigh* not sigh...
 
  • #833
Danger said:
Oh, wait! It's the vegetable turkey! Evo has one on the next thread down.

Sorry Dange. No cigar.

yomamma said:
It's *sigh* not sigh...

No, it was definitely said aloud...
 
  • #834
then how 'bout this?

*"sigh"*...

The turkey baster?
 
  • #835
Ok, you're really not getting this.

The invention isn't food related.

The inventor has a tenuous connection with Col. Sanders' meat of choice.
 
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  • #836
The incubator?!

I know I'm making this harder than I should

and it's sanders' not sander's
 
  • #837
Automatic chicken-plucker?
 
  • #838
yomamma said:
The incubator?!
No.
I know I'm making this harder than I should

and it's sanders' not sander's

So it is, sorry. This honey liqueur is obviously a bit better than I'd thought...
 
  • #839
ooh!ohh!

the chicken?
 
  • #840
Danger said:
Automatic chicken-plucker?

Nope. The invention has nothing to do with chickens.
 

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