the origins of symbolic computing

and the self-modifying, stored-program computer.



intro





NOTES:

(1) EDVAC vs. Turing, ENIGMA p324 (critical)

!! Is IAS machine EDVAC??

(2) IAS instruction set, 20TH, p343

(3) Manchester instruction set, 20TH p436 (only vestiges of ACE, but some vestiges)

(4) ACE instruction set in Programmers Handbook



SOURCES:

COMPUTABLE... [summary in ENIGMA suffices]

ACE Report

EDVAC report [locate]

"Proposed electronic calculator" [from notes; what is this?!]

"Computing machinery and intelligence"

TURING











WEAK ITEMS TO COVER EXPLICITLY:

Why is there lack of symbolic (eg. character) output in ACE-derived machines? (viz turing letter to gandy)

Turing's abandonment of higher-level work





goal

Nearly all computer histories talk about mathematics, speed of math., etc.



Turing was the first to tie theoretical concerns to current technology to make a self-modifying,

stored-program computer in the modern sense. [this part irrespective of lovelace]



Turing was initially the ONLY one to see the overriding importance of symbolic computing; that

mathematical computing is a SUBSET of symbolic computing.

[lovelace may have seen this, and 100 years! earlier; need to read LOVELACE]



presented as PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of actual instruction sets to back up history of ideas



This was implicit in COMPUTABE... as logical transformations on math. 



Debunk Goldstine, specifically point out fabrications

Goldstine is clearly unaware of its importance, even in GOLDSTINE.



JvN apparently [RESEARCH!] saw stored-program as a means to the end of fast math. machines

for other projects, eg. Los Alamos. He may have been aware of symbolic computing; discussions

with Turing.



The British B.P. experience set them as the inheritors of Turing's legacy.





background

	definition of terms

		recontextualization of 'computer'

		calculator

		computer

		stored-program computer

		self-modifying stored-program computer

	hyper-brief history

	mention current assumptions

	describe major contemporary projects

		chronology

	describe camps

	neuronal model

		JvNs? Turing seems to have adopted.

			outcome of cybernetics



argument

[reference or include goals here]



	turing made relay calculator, 1936? 1939? TURING

	COMPUTABLE... origins are in defining human thought processes (not math)

	Emil Post re: physical computation, TURING p17

	E&M/Goldstine describing ENIAC as stored-program is disingenious at best, at worst

	complete lack of understanding

	Turing explicitly describes F.P as "simulation" in ACE Report; need dates, cf. EDVAC.



	discuss each machine, chronological order:

		ENIAC

		ACE (Turing's design)

			floating point

				was it widely recognized as a 'simulation' of math?

			lack of branch instruction (turing gone too far)

		Pilot ACE

		is IAS machine "EDVAC?"

		EDVAC

			could not modify instructions until 1947, and for tagged instructions only,

			eg. address fields. (1) [Need orig. documents]



	importance of symbolic not recognized generally until 60's

	exceptions:

	SAGE

	ARTOC

	military

	not widespread until 70's

		anecdote about Sherman Tabor re: 8-bit machines

	lovelace: if she had the clue, it needs to be outlined here

	turing: clearly had it first unless lovelace

	JvN: seems to have not cared; certainly talked with Turing

	Goldstine: clearly without clue



conclusion

	summarize



SOURCES