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.

  • #1,951
This is a logical anecdote - one that can be deduced.
 
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  • #1,952
Ivan Seeking said:
No :smile:

Now wait, did I tell you about the leveling system, or was that a fortuitous joke?
You mentioned it along with several other engineering accomplishments in a thread I started last year about those people who scam inventors. You talked about the guy you know who was involved with the creation of the Biodome in the desert in the same thread IIRC.
 
  • #1,953
Ivan Seeking said:
This is a logical anecdote - one that can be deduced.
Oh, I bet the thing with the strap hanging off is some ferrous object that was sucked into the magnet.
 
  • #1,954
zoobyshoe said:
Oh, I bet the thing with the strap hanging off is some ferrous object that was sucked into the magnet.

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/3733/mriscrubber7ro.jpg

The janitor ain't supposed to go in there with the scrubber.

Something similar happened to me. Someone had mixed in a chair with iron in the frame, with the identical stainless steel chairs used in the MRI lab. That particular magnet was 0.95T as I recall, and I was literally taken off my feet with my arm slung through the chair. I had to winch it out! We had another guy who was a WWI vet who had some really low grade stainless pins in his leg from the war. They were virtually sucked out of his leg.
 
  • #1,955
That's fantastic!

I thought they made damn sure that stuff like this didn't happen, but that picture is brilliant!
 
  • #1,956
zoobyshoe said:
You talked about the guy you know who was involved with the creation of the Biodome in the desert in the same thread IIRC.



Oh, him. :rolleyes:
 
  • #1,957
brewnog said:
That's fantastic!

I thought they made damn sure that stuff like this didn't happen, but that picture is brilliant!

Oh, then you would be amazed at what goes on.
 
  • #1,958
retained a short section of wing about six feet in length?
 
  • #1,959
wolram said:
retained a short section of wing about six feet in length?
The autogiro?
 
  • #1,960
zoobyshoe said:
The autogiro?

I thought this one might have lasted a bit longer, but Zooby gets it in one :biggrin:
 
  • #1,961
Earth quake ,bird, dam. who?
 
  • #1,962
Cleansed by fire, or so legend says, this was made of the same material as some Egyptian burial cloths, and modern gaskets as well.

This came in handy if the Franks were messy.
 
  • #1,963
Asbestos, But were did this thread come from :confused:
 
  • #1,964
Asbestos is not the answer.

Re thread: It died so I brought it back.
 
  • #1,965
along time ago.
 
  • #1,966
yes, a long time ago
 
  • #1,967
Oh, Ivan ROCKS! I've been meaning to resurrect this thread, but I hate coming up with clues...
It's not asbestos?!? Wild guess: Fiberglass?
 
  • #1,968
Not fiberglass.

Be sure to read the question and rejected answers carefully. :biggrin:
 
  • #1,969
I can only think of Paper.
 
  • #1,970
Wolram, you were much closer the first time.
 
  • #1,971
Doh! Charlemagne's tablecloth. :rolleyes:
 
  • #1,972
wolram said:
I can only think of Paper.
That must get pretty boring after a while... :smile:
 
  • #1,973
Thin strips of gold?
 
  • #1,974
honestrosewater said:
Doh! Charlemagne's tablecloth. :rolleyes:


Asbestos (Greek a-, "not"; sbestos, "extinguishable") is a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals. The name is derived for its historical use in lamp wicks; the resistance of asbestos to fire has long been exploited for a variety of purposes. It was used in fabrics such as Egyptian burial cloths and Charlemagne's tablecloth, which, according to legend, he threw in a fire to clean
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos

You're up.

Oh yes
Charlemagne (c. 742 or 747 – January 28, 814) (or Charles the Great, in German Karl der Große, in Latin Carolus Magnus, giving rise to the adjective form "Carolingian"), was king of the Franks from 771 to 814
 
  • #1,975
Crapola. Okay.

They don't snuggle but eat each other, and they aren't fish.
 
  • #1,976
honestrosewater said:
Crapola. Okay.

They don't snuggle but eat each other, and they aren't fish.

snugglefish?
 
  • #1,977
Close... when men want to fall asleep, women want to...
 
  • #1,978
Black Widow?

or

Praying mantis?

Or a female hamster if you touch her offspring ?

Or a tom cat killing off a litter...

How many guesses are we allowed to post cause I could go on for quite a bit?
 
  • #1,979
cuddlefish... :smile:
 
  • #1,980
honestrosewater said:
Close... when men want to fall asleep, women want to...

Talking snuggle fish?
 

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