The World's Largest Computer in 1951

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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.

  • #1,501
Point to fingerprints, not to retinal scans. I don't know what that might mean.
 
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  • #1,502
zoobyshoe said:
retinal scan?

cuddly toy for zooby
 
  • #1,503
honestrosewater said:
But how does that work with the first clue or flowers or blood? I really don't get the first clue if it isn't something to do with fingers or prints...

the first clue was to point you in the direction of identification.

Do you think it a crap clue?
 
  • #1,504
wolram said:
the first clue was to point you in the direction of identification.

Do you think it a crap clue?
No, I'm just complaining. Mostly about my not guessing it. It was a fine clue. :smile:
 
  • #1,505
honestrosewater said:
But how does that work with the first clue or flowers or blood? I really don't get the first clue if it isn't something to do with fingers or prints...
Or maybe with him not getting credit? I don't get the clues together. :confused:

Oh, flower could be iris...

Flower IRIS

Blood VEINS in eye
 
  • #1,506
So what's next zoobyshoe?
 
  • #1,507
wolram said:
the first clue was to point you in the direction of identification.

Do you think it a crap clue?
If you plug in the substitute words, you get:

Point to fingerprints, not to retinal scans.

This leads us to believe there's yet another step, when, apparently there isn't.

Also, the way you wrote it with no punctuation, suggests HonestRoseWater's first idea, which is that it is an instruction not to point to Foulds in a certain way. I thought for a while this meant the answer had to take the form Do not point to fould's as a charlatan or as a failure or whatever way it turned out to be.

Then, it occurred to me you meant "Point to Foulds, not this way." (notice the comma) meaning not in some other direction.

So, yeah, a lot of dead ends in the clue that we couldn't have overcome without your promptings.
 
  • #1,508
wolram said:
So what's next zoobyshoe?

He went looking for iron, but found cement.
 
  • #1,509
Just to get it out of the way- Joseph Aspdin.
 
  • #1,510
honestrosewater said:
Just to get it out of the way- Joseph Aspdin.
Not who I was looking for. Does this person fit the clue as well?
 
  • #1,511
zoobyshoe said:
He went looking for iron, but found cement.
Jimmy Hoffa?
 
  • #1,512
Danger said:
Jimmy Hoffa?
Incorrect!
 
  • #1,513
This is driving me nuts as its been on tv and i can not remember, but it was
in the US.
 
  • #1,514
zoobyshoe said:
Not who I was looking for. Does this person fit the clue as well?
Not sure about the iron part- he patented Portland Cement. I figured it was too easy but wanted to be sure.
 
  • #1,515
Danger said:
Jimmy Hoffa?
:smile: An A for creativity.
 
  • #1,516
wolram said:
This is driving me nuts as its been on tv and i can not remember, but it was
in the US.
Was it an explorer, archaeologist, inventor? What other profession could it be?
 
  • #1,517
wolram said:
This is driving me nuts as its been on tv and i can not remember, but it was
in the US.
Yes! It was in the US.
 
  • #1,518
honestrosewater said:
Not sure about the iron part- he patented Portland Cement. I figured it was too easy but wanted to be sure.
The iron part is important to the story. This is an obscure chapter is the life of an anything-but-obscure man. His quest for a new source of iron lasted nearly 20 years.
 
  • #1,519
honestrosewater said:
Was it an explorer, archaeologist, inventor? What other profession could it be?
Im still reeling from that slap by Zooby, so don't listen to me I am punch drunk. :smile:
 
  • #1,520
wolram said:
Im still reeling from that slap by Zooby, so don't listen to me I am punch drunk. :smile:
I believe the British may have a completely different sense of etiquette than we do. I never have any idea when I'm overstepping British standards for this. Talking to Brewnog I sometimes suddenly realize I've said something that would be taken as insensitively expressed over there while no one here would blink an eye.
 
  • #1,521
zoobyshoe said:
I believe the British may have a completely different sense of etiquette than we do. I never have any idea when I'm overstepping British standards for this. Talking to Brewnog I sometimes suddenly realize I've said something that would be taken as insensitively expressed over there while no one here would blink an eye.
Its our british humour, to make someone think we have been hurt, its sort
of the opposite to the stiff upper lip old boy thing, so don't worry Zooby we
are a thick skinned race, the only thing that really offends us is if you don't
stick your little finger out when drinking tea.
 
  • #1,522
Right, then! Let us carry on.
 
  • #1,523
Christopher Columbus? This is mainly a wild guess.
 
  • #1,524
honestrosewater said:
Christopher Columbus? This is mainly a wild guess.
Not Columbus. This person went looking for iron. He happened to find a source of cement, and decided to make use of it. He continued to work on the iron project, as well. He did not create or patent cement, just found a lot of it.
 
  • #1,525
I think he had an unusual ship named after him
 
  • #1,526
zoobyshoe said:
Not Columbus. This person went looking for iron. He happened to find a source of cement, and decided to make use of it. He continued to work on the iron project, as well. He did not create or patent cement, just found a lot of it.
Yes, but I'm not sure if it was iron for building or eating. I'm not asking, I'm just saying.
 
  • #1,527
wolram said:
I think he had an unusual ship named after him
He was famous enough for that to have happened, but I'm not aware that it ever did. I can't confirm or deny this guess.
 
  • #1,528
The only other explorer of Americas I can think of is Ponce de Leon. Maybe more in a minute.
Okay, it says Vazquez settled the Carolinas and I know Noth Carolina limestone was used a lot in construction??
 
  • #1,529
honestrosewater said:
Yes, but I'm not sure if it was iron for building or eating. I'm not asking, I'm just saying.
Iron for industry: he wanted masses of it.
 
  • #1,530
honestrosewater said:
The only other explorer of Americas I can think of is Ponce de Leon. Maybe more in a minute.
You have invented this clue yourself. I never said or implied he was an explorer of the Americas. All I said is he went looking for iron.
 

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