stored-program-computer

The chapter chronicles the early development of the Manchester University computing laboratory and the pioneering stored-program computer, emphasizing the technical innovation of cathode ray tube memory and the political shift from pure mathematical research to government-driven engineering priorities. It explores Alan Turing's professional and social isolation at Manchester, his philosophical stance favoring programming convenience through software rather than hardware, and his key role in demonstrating the machine's capabilities through the computation of large Mersenne primes. The narrative also highlights the collaboration and tensions between engineers and mathematicians, culminating in preparations for commercial production of the Mark I computer.

The chapter details the development and significance of the UNIVAC I, the first commercial computer in the United States, highlighting its innovative use of mercury delay line memory and tape storage. It also covers the Wisconsin Integrally Synchronized Computer (WISC), designed by Gene Amdahl as a Ph.D. project, noting its magnetic drum memory and Amdahl's later influential contributions to computing. Both machines illustrate early computing technology's evolution and the cultural and technical challenges faced during their adoption.