Lecture 1


Introduction and Charles Babbages's Difference and Analytical Engines

Welcome!

Once upon a time, computing was something that was done in a person’s mind, on paper, and with rudimentary calculating devices. But not too rudimentary! The abacus was a calculating tool that has been used since ancient times in China.

Bi-quinary coded decimal-like abacus representing 1,352,964,708 Image: Wikipedia

Babbage and Lovelace

Charles Babbage was a mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer.