Path: csiph.com!optima2.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!1.eu.feeder.erje.net!news.swapon.de!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!mx02.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Ben Bacarisse Newsgroups: comp.programming Subject: Re: [OT] Babage and computer history Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2015 23:19:15 +0100 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 23 Message-ID: <87lhems5gc.fsf@bsb.me.uk> References: <87d1zzwwqx.fsf@bsb.me.uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Injection-Info: mx02.eternal-september.org; posting-host="017616aa25f81ec581c44d76d61ba2f3"; logging-data="20239"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18lVMyY18/iUKVQlZqX857b6Kl26dHAJ1U=" Cancel-Lock: sha1:Yz6A1PTs57lACgeP5+V041O36QM= sha1:q+h640+qU/zR3YbM2RP2P+YI9R8= X-BSB-Auth: 1.26c23a451ccc8e6cdfc5.20150711231915BST.87lhems5gc.fsf@bsb.me.uk Xref: csiph.com comp.programming:5508 "Bill Cunningham" writes: > "Ben Bacarisse" wrote in message > news:87d1zzwwqx.fsf@bsb.me.uk... > >> The site you link to matches my recollection of the story and is from an >> authoritative source. The Wikipedia page links to the science museum >> that has pretty much the same story so I'm not sure sue what Usenet can >> add. Other than someone having a newly discovered and properly >> authenticated Babbage-built difference engine in their basement, why >> would to believe what someone might post over two well-respected museum >> sites? > http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/overview/ > > The "Final vindication" seems to clear things up. I guess he built a "small" > machine. That must have been what Ada was working with. Programming is not about machines -- it's about procedures. As far as I know, Ada Lovelace never used any machine of any sort for programming. -- Ben.