Difference engine: Difference between revisions
No edit summary Tag: sourceedit |
m (Bot: Cosmetic changes) |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The difference engine was an early | {{wikipediainfo}} | ||
{{First pic|Difference engine.jpg|The difference engine. ([[TV]]: ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'')}} | |||
The '''difference engine''' was an early [[computer]] designed by [[Charles Babbage]] in the early [[19th century]]. It was a complex [[clockwork]] device made of [[bras]] and [[steel]] cogs which which could perform complex calculations ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') such as solving [[quadratic equation]]s ([[TV]]: ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'') by computing differences between numbers. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') | |||
In [[1822]], Babbage brought the designs for the machine to the [[Star Chamber]] in a request for funding. He built a partial version of the machine to demonstrate during evening [[soiree]]s at his home in [[London]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') The [[Thirteenth Doctor]] and [[Ada Gordon]] examined the machine in Babbage's house in [[1834]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Spyfall (TV story)|Spyfall]]'') | |||
However, before the machine could be fully completed, Babbage designed a more advanced version, the [[analytical engine]], which the Star Chamber funded and built. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') | |||
In the [[1880s]], [[Joseph Montague]]'s [[Difference Golem]]s were named after the difference engine. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Children of Steel (audio story)|Children of Steel]]'') | |||
[[Category:Computers]] | [[Category:Computers]] | ||
[[Category:Technology from the real world]] | |||
Latest revision as of 08:08, 3 September 2020
The difference engine was an early computer designed by Charles Babbage in the early 19th century. It was a complex clockwork device made of bras and steel cogs which which could perform complex calculations (PROSE: The Book of the War) such as solving quadratic equations (TV: Spyfall) by computing differences between numbers. (PROSE: The Book of the War)
In 1822, Babbage brought the designs for the machine to the Star Chamber in a request for funding. He built a partial version of the machine to demonstrate during evening soirees at his home in London. (PROSE: The Book of the War) The Thirteenth Doctor and Ada Gordon examined the machine in Babbage's house in 1834. (TV: Spyfall)
However, before the machine could be fully completed, Babbage designed a more advanced version, the analytical engine, which the Star Chamber funded and built. (PROSE: The Book of the War)
In the 1880s, Joseph Montague's Difference Golems were named after the difference engine. (AUDIO: Children of Steel)
