4.0405 Names for Computers (2/23)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Wed, 22 Aug 90 15:50:06 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0405. Wednesday, 22 Aug 1990.


(1) Date: 22 Aug 90 09:21:00 EDT (Wed) (11 lines)
From: Gunhild Viden <viden@hum.gu.se>
Subject: Re. 4.0395 Why computers?

(2) Date: Tue, 21 Aug 90 19:27 EST (12 lines)
From: Bob Krovetz <KROVETZ@cs.umass.EDU>
Subject: Why "computers"

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 22 Aug 90 09:21:00 EDT (Wed)
From: Gunhild Viden <viden@hum.gu.se>
Subject: Re. 4.0395 Why computers?

A Swedish computer used to be a "data machine". Nowadays it is a
"dator". Maybe that is a more satisfactory name for a Humanist working
tool?

Gunhild Viden, University of Gothenburg
<viden@hum.gu.se>

(2) --------------------------------------------------------------28----
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 90 19:27 EST
From: KROVETZ@cs.umass.EDU
Subject: Why "computers"

ENIAC stands for `Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator'. I
assumed UNIVAC, and JOHNIAC were based on the `-IAC' from ENIAC. I had
never heard of any reference to VACuum tubes in their naming (I thought
UNIVAC was based on `UNIVersal').

-bob

krovetz@cs.umass.edu