Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Had the British government moved more rapidly and used the Turing paper as a
computer architecture in 1946, high-speed digital computers would probably have
occurred about five years faster than they did occur.
It is an interesting historical fact that John von Neumann was familiar with Tur-
ing's work. Some of the concepts in von Neumann's paper on the EDVAC seem
to be similar to Turing's paper, although this may be a case of independent inven-
tions by both Turing and von Neumann.
Although the Colossus is the best known of the wartime British computing sys-
tems, various analog computers were also produced. Those who have not served in
the military may not be aware of the complex calculations needed during combat
at sea and in the air. Analog computers were the most effective solutions for these
calculations from World War II through the Vietnam War.
When two ships are fighting at sea, both ships are typically moving in different
directions and at different speeds. To aim a shell at an opponent with a good
chance of a hit requires integrating data on the direction and speed of both ships,
the velocity and trajectory of the shell, and other factors such as the roll of the ship
due to wave action and also wind speed and direction.
The first British mechanical naval gunnery computers were installed on the
HMS
Rodney
and HMS
Nelson
in 1924. By World War II, improvements made
these devices fairly accurate. By the war's end, radar would also be available,
which would greatly improve the accuracy of naval gunnery.
These mechanical analog computers were complex to build and quite expens-
ive. For example, the analog fire-control computer on the battleship HMS
King
George V
in 1939 cost about £213,000. This is roughly equivalent to $20,000,000
today. Prices stayed high throughout World War II, although so many were built
that there were economies of scale.
Note
The Harvard Mark I computer only cost about $1,000,000. The cost
of the analog fire-control computer on the HMS
King George V
was roughly equal to the costs of all digital computers put together
between 1939 and 1945. Needless to say, these analog fire-control
computers were very complex devices.
Surface naval battles involving capital ships can begin at ranges of almost 20
miles, and the ships seldom approach each other at ranges of less than a mile.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search