Turing’s Influence on Computer Construction is Overestimated
How great was Turing's influence on early British automatic computers? Opinions differ considerably.
Herbert Bruderer
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Forced Labor at Bührle’s Arms Factory
As has only recently become known, forced labor occurred at a former Bührle textile factory in Toggenburg, Switzerland. This and other Bührle companies played a significant role in Swiss IT history.
The Mesm: Ukraine Beats Russia
The Mesm is considered the first stored program digital computer in Continental Europe.
Leonardo Torres Quevedo, a Brilliant but Forgotten Spanish Inventor
Although far ahead of his time, in the German- and English-speaking countries, Torres Quevedo has been largely forgotten.
Promoting Economic Development through Technical Innovation
A wealth of information about the history of technology and industry.
The Calculating Machine from the Concentration Camp
The story of Viennese engineer Curt Herzstark and the world's smallest mechanical calculating machine, the Curta.
Original Roman Pocket Calculators are Extremely Rare
As far as we know, only three or four original specimens of the Roman hand abacus have survived.
Up to the second half of the 19th century —with the exception of the industrial power Great Britain—the protection of inventions was inadequate and strongly disputed.
Computers Were Originally Humans
Until the middle of the 20th century, computers were in fact humans who performed calculations.
How Does One Divide with Napier’s Rods?
Napier's multiplication and division rods, deriving from the basic multiplication table, simplify calculations considerably.
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