Table of Contents

*FrontMatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. v*Illustrations, pg. vii*Preface (1893), pg. ix*Preface, pg. xi*I. Beginnings, pg. 3*2. Cllarles Babhage and His Analytical Engine, pg. 10*3. The Astronolnical Ephemeris, pg. 27*4. The Universities: Maxwell and Boole, pg. 31*5, Integrators and Planin~c.ters, pg. 39*6. Michelsori, Fourier Coc~ffic~ientasn, d the Gibbs Phenomenon, pg. 52*7. Boolean Algebra: x2 = xx = x, pg. 60*8. Billings, IIollerith, and the. Census, pg. 65*9. Rallistics ancl the Rise of the Great Mathematicians, pg. 72*10. Blish's Differential Analyzer and Other Analog IJcvices, pg. 84*11. Adaptation to Scientific Needs, pg. 106*12. Renascenrbe and Triumph of Digital Means of Computation, pg. 115*1. Electronic, EAi~rtsp rior to the EN1AC, pg. 123*2. The Ballistic Research Laboratory, pg. 127*3. Differences between Analog and Digital Machines, pg. 140*4. Beginnings of the ENIA(:, pg. 148*5. The ENIAC as a Matl~errratical Instrument, pg. 157*6. Jolln von Nel~mann ant1 the Computer, pg. 167*7. Beyond the ENIAC, pg. 184*8. Tlte Structure of the EDVAC, pg. 204*9. The Spread of Ideas, pg. 211*10. First Calculations on the ENIAC, pg. 225*1. Post-EIIVAC Days, pg. 239*2. The Institute for Advanced Study Computer, pg. 252*3. Automata Theory and Logic Machines, pg. 271*4. Numerical Mathematics, pg. 286*5. Nun~ericalM eteorology, pg. 300*6. Engineering Activities and Achievements, pg. 306*7. The Computer and UNESCO, pg. 321*8. The Early Industrial Scene, pg. 325*9. Programming Languages, pg. 333*10. Conclusions, pg. 342*APPENDIX: World-Wide Developments, pg. 349*Index, pg. 363

About the Author

Herman H. Goldstine is currently Executive Officer of the American Philosophical Society.

Reviews

Winner of the Award in Science, Phi Beta Kappa "The book is first-rate: it is written in a style that all can understand..."--Nature "Herman Goldstine is himself a pioneer of the computer... [He] writes with disarming candor and good humor."--Scientific American