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EDSAC holds the distinction of being the second electronic stored-program computer to achieve operational status.
Answer: True
While often cited as the first, EDSAC was the second electronic stored-program computer to enter regular service, following the Manchester Mark 1. It became operational on May 6, 1949.
The development of the EDSAC computer was spearheaded by Maurice Wilkes and his research team at the University of Cambridge's Mathematical Laboratory.
Answer: True
Maurice Wilkes led the team at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory that constructed EDSAC, building upon concepts learned from reports on EDVAC.
EDSAC successfully executed its inaugural programs on May 6, 1949, not in 1948.
Answer: True
EDSAC ran its first successful programs on May 6, 1949. Its initial tasks included calculating a table of square numbers and a list of prime numbers.
The architectural conceptualization of EDSAC was significantly informed by John von Neumann's seminal report, 'First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC'.
Answer: True
John von Neumann's influential 'First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC' laid out the principles of the stored-program computer architecture, which heavily influenced the design of EDSAC.
Who is recognized as the principal architect and leader of the EDSAC development team?
Answer: Maurice Wilkes
Maurice Wilkes was the principal figure behind the development of EDSAC at the University of Cambridge.
In which year did EDSAC achieve its first successful program execution?
Answer: 1949
EDSAC successfully ran its first programs on May 6, 1949.
What was EDSAC's historical significance in the lineage of operational electronic stored-program computers?
Answer: It was the second electronic stored-program computer to enter regular service.
EDSAC was the second electronic stored-program computer to become operational, following the Manchester Mark 1, and played a crucial role in early computing history.
Which seminal document critically influenced the architectural concepts that underpinned the design of EDSAC?
Answer: John von Neumann's 'First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC'
John von Neumann's 'First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC' provided the foundational concepts for the stored-program architecture that heavily influenced EDSAC's design.
The acronym EDSAC represents the 'Electronic Digital Storage and Calculation'.
Answer: False
The acronym EDSAC stands for 'Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator,' a designation reflecting its core memory technology and operational nature.
Contrary to later technologies, EDSAC's primary data storage was not magnetic core memory; it employed mercury delay lines.
Answer: True
EDSAC utilized mercury delay lines as its primary main memory technology, a common method in early computers before the widespread adoption of magnetic core memory.
The logic circuits within EDSAC were implemented using thermionic valves, commonly known as vacuum tubes.
Answer: True
EDSAC employed derated thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) for its logic operations, which were the standard electronic switching components in early computing devices.
While EDSAC's memory could address 1024 locations, each word was effectively 17 bits due to timing constraints, not a full 35 bits for primary use.
Answer: True
Initially equipped with 512 18-bit words, later expanded to 1024 locations, EDSAC's memory effectively utilized 17 bits per word due to timing limitations that rendered the most significant bit unusable.
EDSAC instructions incorporated a designated 'length bit' to specify whether the operation would utilize a single 17-bit word or a double 35-bit word.
Answer: True
A specific 'length bit' within an EDSAC instruction determined whether the operation would apply to a single 17-bit word or a double 35-bit word (two consecutive words).
EDSAC performed its internal calculations using two's complement binary representation, not standard decimal numbers.
Answer: True
EDSAC's internal arithmetic and logical operations were based on two's complement binary numbers, capable of representing values as 17-bit or 35-bit words.
What is the full designation represented by the acronym EDSAC?
Answer: Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator
The acronym EDSAC stands for 'Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator,' reflecting its memory technology and function.
What specific technology served as the primary medium for EDSAC's main memory storage?
Answer: Mercury delay lines
EDSAC's main memory was implemented using mercury delay lines, a technology prevalent in early computers for data storage.
What category of electronic components was employed for the logic operations within the EDSAC architecture?
Answer: Thermionic valves (vacuum tubes)
EDSAC utilized thermionic valves, commonly known as vacuum tubes, for its logic circuits, representing the standard technology of its era.
What was the effective memory capacity of an EDSAC word, considering its operational constraints?
Answer: 17 bits
Although EDSAC had 18-bit words initially, timing issues meant only 17 bits were effectively usable for data and instructions per word.
What numerical system formed the basis for EDSAC's internal arithmetic and logical operations?
Answer: Two's complement binary
EDSAC performed its internal calculations using the two's complement binary number system.
What was the approximate clock cycle duration for the majority of standard instructions executed by EDSAC?
Answer: 1.5 milliseconds
Most ordinary instructions on EDSAC had a cycle time of 1.5 milliseconds, with multiplication taking longer at 6 milliseconds.
In what fundamental aspect did EDSAC's memory addressing scheme diverge from contemporary computer architectures?
Answer: It lacked features like index registers, requiring manual address manipulation.
EDSAC's memory addressing was basic, lacking index registers and requiring manual address manipulation or self-modifying code for complex data structures.
Given EDSAC's initial memory capacity of 512 words, when was this capacity subsequently expanded?
Answer: 1952
EDSAC's memory capacity was expanded from 512 words to 1024 words in 1952 by adding a second set of delay lines.
What was the approximate cycle time required for multiplication operations on EDSAC?
Answer: 6 milliseconds
Multiplication operations on EDSAC took approximately 6 milliseconds, compared to 1.5 milliseconds for most other instructions.
In what fundamental aspect did EDSAC's memory addressing scheme diverge from contemporary computer architectures?
Answer: It lacked features like index registers, requiring manual address manipulation.
EDSAC's memory addressing was basic, lacking index registers and requiring manual address manipulation or self-modifying code for complex data structures.
Given EDSAC's initial memory capacity of 512 words, when was this capacity subsequently expanded?
Answer: 1952
EDSAC's memory capacity was expanded from 512 words to 1024 words in 1952 by adding a second set of delay lines.
What was the approximate cycle time required for multiplication operations on EDSAC?
Answer: 6 milliseconds
Multiplication operations on EDSAC took approximately 6 milliseconds, compared to 1.5 milliseconds for most other instructions.
A notable omission from EDSAC's instruction set was a direct division instruction; programmers were required to implement division operations through the utilization of supplied subroutines.
Answer: True
EDSAC did not possess a built-in instruction for division, necessitating the use of programmed subroutines to perform this arithmetic operation.
Programs for EDSAC were primarily prepared using five-hole punched tape, not punched cards.
Answer: True
The standard method for inputting programs and data into EDSAC involved five-hole punched tape, a common medium for early computers.
The 'initial orders' loaded into EDSAC at startup constituted the world's first primitive relocating assembler, a significant software innovation.
Answer: True
The 'initial orders' hard-wired into EDSAC provided the functionality of the world's first primitive relocating assembler, enabling more flexible program loading.
The operational procedure wherein operators selected subsequent programs from a sequential line of punched tapes bears a strong analogy to modern job queuing systems found within operating systems.
Answer: True
The method of operators selecting programs from a queue of punched tapes mirrors the concept of job queues used in modern operating systems for managing program execution.
Programmers could monitor EDSAC's operational progress via a cathode-ray tube display, which could be configured to visualize specific memory locations, and an audible feedback mechanism linked to the accumulator's sign bit.
Answer: True
EDSAC provided monitoring capabilities through a CRT display showing memory contents and a loudspeaker connected to the accumulator's sign bit, offering visual and auditory feedback on program execution.
Due to hardware limitations, particularly the absence of an index register, self-modifying code was a frequently employed programming technique on EDSAC.
Answer: True
The lack of an index register on EDSAC often necessitated the use of self-modifying code, where program instructions were altered during execution to manage data access.
The foundational concept of the subroutine is credited to David Wheeler.
Answer: True
David Wheeler is recognized as the originator of the subroutine concept, a fundamental building block in computer programming.
Recursive subroutine calls were not supported or encouraged on EDSAC, primarily due to the programming methodology and lack of a stack structure.
Answer: True
The architecture and programming techniques of EDSAC, lacking a stack and relying on direct return address modification, precluded the use of recursive subroutine calls.
Authored in 1951 by Wilkes, Wheeler, and Gill, the volume *The Preparation of Programs for an Electronic Digital Computer* is widely acknowledged as the inaugural textbook dedicated to computer programming.
Answer: True
The 1951 book *The Preparation of Programs for an Electronic Digital Computer* is recognized as the first textbook on programming, specifically detailing methods for the EDSAC.
The 'Collate' instruction within EDSAC's repertoire executed a bitwise AND operation between the accumulator's content and a specified operand, subsequently adding the resultant value back into the accumulator.
Answer: True
The Collate instruction on EDSAC performed a bitwise AND operation followed by an addition, combining logical and arithmetic functions.
In 1953, an index register, conceived by David Wheeler, was integrated into EDSAC hardware to enhance memory addressing flexibility, particularly for array processing and subroutines.
Answer: True
The addition of an index register in 1953 significantly improved EDSAC's ability to handle array processing and subroutine calls by simplifying memory addressing.
EDSAC employed a teleprinter as its output device, which rendered the computer's computational results onto paper.
Answer: True
The results generated by EDSAC were outputted using a teleprinter, which printed the data onto paper.
How were instruction codes represented and encoded for operational execution within the EDSAC system?
Answer: Using single characters corresponding to the EDSAC character code
EDSAC used a mnemonic system where instruction codes were represented by single characters, specifically the EDSAC character code for a letter.
Which fundamental arithmetic operation was conspicuously absent as a direct, built-in instruction within the EDSAC's instruction set?
Answer: Division
Division was not a standard, built-in instruction for EDSAC; it had to be implemented using subroutines.
What programming technique was frequently employed on EDSAC as a workaround for the absence of an index register?
Answer: Self-modifying code
Due to the lack of an index register, programmers often resorted to self-modifying code to manage data access and array manipulation.
Who is recognized as the originator of the subroutine concept in computer programming?
Answer: David Wheeler
David Wheeler is credited with inventing the concept of the subroutine, a modular programming technique.
What fundamental architectural or programming limitation precluded the effective use of recursive subroutine calls on EDSAC?
Answer: The programming technique used for subroutines and lack of a stack
Recursive calls were not feasible on EDSAC due to the programming method for subroutines and the absence of a stack structure.
The 'Collate' instruction within the EDSAC's instruction set performed which specific combination of logical and arithmetic operations?
Answer: Bitwise AND and addition
The Collate instruction performed a bitwise AND operation followed by an addition to the accumulator.
What was the primary functional purpose of the index register introduced into EDSAC hardware in 1953?
Answer: To facilitate array processing and subroutine calls
The index register, added in 1953, greatly improved memory addressing flexibility, particularly for array processing and subroutine management.
What was the presumed functional purpose of the 'Round accumulator' instruction within the EDSAC's instruction set?
Answer: Likely to round the accumulator's value, possibly mitigating errors
The 'Round accumulator' instruction likely served to round the accumulator's value, potentially reducing cumulative errors in fixed-point arithmetic.
The 'Collate' instruction on EDSAC performed which specific combination of logical and arithmetic operations?
Answer: Bitwise AND and addition
The Collate instruction on EDSAC performed a bitwise AND operation between the accumulator and an operand, followed by adding the result to the accumulator.
What was the primary functional purpose of the index register introduced into EDSAC hardware in 1953?
Answer: To facilitate array processing and subroutine calls
The index register, added in 1953, greatly improved memory addressing flexibility, particularly for array processing and subroutine management.
What was the presumed functional purpose of the 'Round accumulator' instruction within the EDSAC's instruction set?
Answer: Likely to round the accumulator's value, possibly mitigating errors
The 'Round accumulator' instruction likely served to round the accumulator's value, potentially reducing cumulative errors in fixed-point arithmetic.
The very first program successfully executed on EDSAC was authored by Beatrice Worsley.
Answer: True
Beatrice Worsley, a visiting scholar, wrote the inaugural program executed on EDSAC, which computed the squares of integers from 0 to 99.
EDSAC was conceived and engineered primarily as a computational support service for the University of Cambridge's Mathematical Laboratory, intended for practical, routine research computations.
Answer: True
Unlike machines designed for commercial data processing, EDSAC's primary purpose was to support scientific research computations at the University of Cambridge.
The first documented application of a computer to biological research, involving the calculation of gene frequencies, was conducted using EDSAC.
Answer: True
Ronald Fisher utilized EDSAC to solve a differential equation related to gene frequencies, marking the first known instance of a computer being applied to biological research.
In 1951, computations performed on EDSAC by Miller and Wheeler led to the discovery of a 79-digit prime number, which at that juncture was the largest prime number known to mathematicians.
Answer: True
A significant mathematical achievement occurred in 1951 when EDSAC was used to discover a 79-digit prime number, then the largest known.
OXO, an early implementation of the game tic-tac-toe, was developed for EDSAC in 1952 by Sandy Douglas.
Answer: True
Sandy Douglas developed OXO, a version of tic-tac-toe, for EDSAC in 1952, featuring graphical output on a cathode-ray tube.
In 1949, the newspaper *The Star* published speculative articles suggesting that computers akin to EDSAC might soon automate domestic tasks.
Answer: True
In June 1949, *The Star* speculated about the potential for computers like EDSAC to automate household chores, reflecting early public imagination about computing's future impact.
The Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, a profound problem in number theory concerning the relationship between elliptic curves and their rank, was initially formulated based on numerical evidence derived from EDSAC computations by Peter Swinnerton-Dyer in the early 1960s.
Answer: True
The formulation of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture was significantly influenced by numerical investigations conducted on EDSAC, highlighting its role in advanced mathematical research.
Who is credited with authoring the inaugural program successfully executed on the EDSAC?
Answer: Beatrice Worsley
Beatrice Worsley wrote the very first program that ran on EDSAC, computing squares of integers.
What was the principal intended application domain for the EDSAC computer?
Answer: Scientific research computation support
EDSAC was designed primarily to support scientific research computations at the University of Cambridge, rather than for commercial applications.
Which scientific discipline experienced one of its earliest computational applications through the use of EDSAC?
Answer: Biology
The first known application of a computer to biology research, involving gene frequency calculations, was performed on EDSAC.
What notable mathematical discovery was achieved through computations performed on EDSAC in 1951?
Answer: A 79-digit prime number
In 1951, EDSAC was used to discover a 79-digit prime number, which was the largest known at that time.
Which Nobel laureates' research endeavors were significantly advanced by computational work performed on EDSAC?
Answer: Max Perutz
Nobel laureates such as Max Perutz (Chemistry, 1962) acknowledged the crucial role EDSAC played in their research.
The game 'OXO', an early implementation of tic-tac-toe, was developed for EDSAC by which individual?
Answer: Sandy Douglas
Sandy Douglas developed OXO, a version of tic-tac-toe, for EDSAC in 1952, featuring graphical output.
What specific speculation regarding computers analogous to EDSAC was published in *The Star* newspaper in 1949?
Answer: They might assist with tasks like income tax and bookkeeping.
In 1949, *The Star* speculated that computers like EDSAC could potentially assist with tasks such as income tax and bookkeeping calculations.
What specific speculation regarding computers analogous to EDSAC was published in *The Star* newspaper in 1949?
Answer: They might assist with tasks like income tax and bookkeeping.
In 1949, *The Star* speculated that computers like EDSAC could potentially assist with tasks such as income tax and bookkeeping calculations.
EDSAC 2 was the direct successor to EDSAC, commissioned in 1958 and remaining in operation until 1965.
Answer: True
EDSAC 2 was the immediate successor to EDSAC, becoming operational in 1958 and continuing its service until 1965. The commercial computer LEO I was also based on EDSAC's design.
A fully functional replica of the original EDSAC computer is currently under construction at The National Museum of Computing, located on the Bletchley Park campus.
Answer: True
A working replica of EDSAC is being meticulously constructed at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, aiming to preserve and demonstrate this historical machine.
The EDSAC Replica Project is under the leadership of Andrew Herbert, who was a student of Maurice Wilkes.
Answer: True
Andrew Herbert, a former student of EDSAC's designer Maurice Wilkes, is the principal leader of the ongoing EDSAC Replica Project.
The initial components of the EDSAC replica project were first energized and powered on in November 2014.
Answer: True
The first components of the EDSAC replica project were powered on in November 2014, marking a significant step in its reconstruction.
EDSAC maintained operational status from its first program run on May 6, 1949, until its decommissioning on July 11, 1958, resulting in an approximate operational lifespan of nine years.
Answer: True
The original EDSAC operated for approximately nine years, from its first program in 1949 until its shutdown in 1958.
The EDSAC Replica Project is under the direct leadership of Andrew Herbert, who previously studied under Maurice Wilkes, the original designer of EDSAC.
Answer: True
Andrew Herbert, a former student of Maurice Wilkes, is leading the project to reconstruct a working replica of EDSAC.
Which industrial entity collaborated with the University of Cambridge on the EDSAC project, ultimately leading to the design of a commercial computer?
Answer: J. Lyons & Co. Ltd.
J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. collaborated with the University of Cambridge on EDSAC, which led to their development of the commercially successful LEO I computer.
What was the immediate successor to EDSAC, which became operational in 1958?
Answer: EDSAC 2
EDSAC 2 was the direct successor to EDSAC, commissioned in 1958.
At which institution is the construction of a working replica of EDSAC currently underway?
Answer: The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park
A working replica of EDSAC is being constructed at The National Museum of Computing on the Bletchley Park campus.
Who is the principal leader of the project dedicated to constructing a working replica of EDSAC?
Answer: Andrew Herbert
Andrew Herbert leads the EDSAC Replica Project, aiming to build a fully functional replica of the original computer.
In what year were the initial components of the EDSAC replica project first energized?
Answer: November 2014
The first components of the EDSAC replica project were powered on in November 2014.
What event was held in April 1999 to commemorate the semicentennial anniversary of EDSAC's initial operation?
Answer: EDSAC 99
The event 'EDSAC 99' was held in April 1999 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of EDSAC's first operation.
Which organization formally announced and is currently spearheading the initiative to construct a working replica of EDSAC?
Answer: The Computer Conservation Society
The Computer Conservation Society announced and leads the project to build a working replica of EDSAC at The National Museum of Computing.
What was the approximate operational lifespan, in years, of the original EDSAC computer?
Answer: Approximately 9 years
EDSAC operated for approximately nine years, from its first program run in 1949 until its shutdown in 1958.
Beyond EDSAC 2, what other computer system is noted as being derived from the EDSAC design or its associated collaborative efforts?
Answer: LEO I
LEO I, developed by J. Lyons & Co. Ltd., was based on the EDSAC design, stemming from their collaboration on the project.
What is the primary objective of the EDSAC Replica Project?
Answer: Build a fully working replica of the original EDSAC computer.
The EDSAC Replica Project aims to construct a fully operational replica of the original EDSAC computer, preserving its historical significance.
What event was held in April 1999 to commemorate the semicentennial anniversary of EDSAC's initial operation?
Answer: EDSAC 99
The event 'EDSAC 99' was held in April 1999 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of EDSAC's first operation.
Which organization formally announced and is currently spearheading the initiative to construct a working replica of EDSAC?
Answer: The Computer Conservation Society
The Computer Conservation Society announced and leads the project to build a working replica of EDSAC at The National Museum of Computing.
What was the approximate operational lifespan, in years, of the original EDSAC computer?
Answer: Approximately 9 years
EDSAC operated for approximately nine years, from its first program run in 1949 until its shutdown in 1958.
Beyond EDSAC 2, what other computer system is noted as being derived from the EDSAC design or its associated collaborative efforts?
Answer: LEO I
LEO I, developed by J. Lyons & Co. Ltd., was based on the EDSAC design, stemming from their collaboration on the project.
What is the primary objective of the EDSAC Replica Project?
Answer: Build a fully working replica of the original EDSAC computer.
The EDSAC Replica Project aims to construct a fully operational replica of the original EDSAC computer, preserving its historical significance.