**Creating Data with Intelligent Systems**
**Initial “Computer Kit” Was Essentially an Advanced Calculator**
**Date:**
We have a strong interest in calculators, computers, and old magazines, so we’re always intrigued when we find something that combines all three. In November 1966, Electronics Illustrated published a guide on how to build what they called a “Space-Age Decimal Computer!” This involved using neon lamps, a few tubes, and a significant amount of soldering. The article starts on page 39 and indicates that while the project is complex and costly, the knowledge and utility gained from completing it would be well worth the investment.
The way we think about computers today is quite different from how the term was understood in the past. Historically, a "computer" referred to a person whose job was to perform calculations. These human computers used tools such as pen and paper, and eventually electromechanical devices, to process long lists of numbers. For instance, manually calculating payroll for large companies each month was a common task, which was prone to errors and considered a normal part of business operations. With the advent of analog and subsequently transistor-based computers, these machines took over the roles of human computers in performing calculations and tabulations. This transition is the reason why IBM was initially named the Computing, Recording and Tabulating Company.
When this article was penned, the concept of a computer was essentially seen as a device for performing mathematical operations. For readers of the magazine, a machine capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division was effectively considered a computer. The kit described is quite ingenious yet straightforward. It uses a rotary telephone dial to input numbers ranging from 1 to 10 (with 0 functioning as 10). These inputs generate pulses that are sent to a series of boards, each representing a different decimal place from the ones place up to the hundred thousand place. A rotary switch allows you to choose the specific decimal place for number entry. Similar to manual addition, you then dial in the second number, starting from the units place and moving upwards. The machine handles all carry operations automatically, and you get the final result after entering each number.
Since the machine is only capable of counting upwards, subtraction is achieved by adding complementary numbers. This method involves using the 9s complement of the number you want to subtract, and the article provides an in-depth explanation of how the machine operates. Such techniques were commonly used with electromechanical devices and would have been well-known to many people at the time. Naturally, multiplication and division are simply repeated addition and subtraction, which could become quite tiresome with lengthy inputs. However, if the machine was precisely built and each number meticulously recorded, it could serve as a highly effective tool for minimizing errors!
Appreciate the suggestion, [Stephen]!
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