Making Electrons Count (part 2 of 10)

Making Electrons Count (part 2 of 11)

111 Note The film which you are about to see

112 first shows a few examples of the types of problems in which computers can be useful, and then describes the efforts of a typical user in programming a problem for Whirlwind I.

113 Note

114

PRESENTS

"MAKING
ELECTRONS
COUNT"

SOLVING A PROBLEM ON M.I.T.'S
ELECTRONIC DIGITAL COMPUTER
"WHIRLWIND I"

SPONSORED BY

OFFICE OF NAVAL
RESEARCH

PHYSICIST

PLAYED BY
DEAN N. ARDEN

SCRIPT BY

EDWIN S. KOPLEY

PHOTOGRAPHED AND

DIRECTED BY
LLOYD G. SANFORD

115
Electronic digital computers carry out very rapidly long sequences of simple arithmetic operations, which yield the solutions to problems in three rather different areas of interest.

First is the control of continuous physical processes, like we see here in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, the distillation of alcohol, and the operation of an airport. Air traffic control calls for decisions based on immediate information about the positions of all nearby aircraft, their schedules, the weather, and so on.

It is possible that before long this kind of information will be processed by computers, and converted into landing instructions for the pilots. M. I. T. and others are conducting research into such 'real time' applications in which the answers are needed without delay so that they may be used to control a situation as it develops.

116 The second area of interest

117 of equally great economic and social importance is the mechanization of such modern business office procedures as accounting,

118a, b, c payroll calculations, and inventory control. These activities now mushroom our office buildings and transform us rapidly into a nation of clerks. Third are scientific and engineering problems such as

119 Note the design of power systems, transmitters, highways and bridges.

Credits and Notice:

The MIT Museum has kindly granted permission for me to reproduce these extracts from the 1953 film on MIT Project Whirlwind,"Making Electrons Count." The permission is governed by an agreement between Daniel P. B. Smith and the MIT Museum, and covers publication at this Web site only. Individuals may view this material at this Web site, http://world.std.com/~dpbsmith/. Any other use requires permission from the MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307.

The original film credits contain no date or copyright notice and reads, in full:

The Digital Computer Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Presents "Making Electrons Count: Solving a Problem on M.I.T.'s Electronic Digital Computer 'Whirlwind I.' Sponsored by: Office of Naval Research. Physicist played by Dean N. Arden. Script by Edwin S. Kopley. Photographed and Directed by Lloyd G. Sanford.

--Daniel P. B. Smith, http://world.std.com/~dpbsmith/

111 Note	The film which you are about to see
112	first shows a few examples of the types of problems in which computers can be useful, and then describes the efforts of a typical user in programming a problem for Whirlwind I.
113 Note
114
PRESENTS
"MAKING ELECTRONS COUNT"
SOLVING A PROBLEM ON M.I.T.'S ELECTRONIC DIGITAL COMPUTER "WHIRLWIND I"
SPONSORED BY OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH
PHYSICIST PLAYED BY DEAN N. ARDEN
SCRIPT BY EDWIN S. KOPLEY
PHOTOGRAPHED AND DIRECTED BY LLOYD G. SANFORD
115	Electronic digital computers carry out very rapidly long sequences of simple arithmetic operations, which yield the solutions to problems in three rather different areas of interest. First is the control of continuous physical processes, like we see here in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, the distillation of alcohol, and the operation of an airport. Air traffic control calls for decisions based on immediate information about the positions of all nearby aircraft, their schedules, the weather, and so on. It is possible that before long this kind of information will be processed by computers, and converted into landing instructions for the pilots. M. I. T. and others are conducting research into such 'real time' applications in which the answers are needed without delay so that they may be used to control a situation as it develops.
116	The second area of interest
117	of equally great economic and social importance is the mechanization of such modern business office procedures as accounting,
118a, b, c	payroll calculations, and inventory control. These activities now mushroom our office buildings and transform us rapidly into a nation of clerks. Third are scientific and engineering problems such as
119 Note	the design of power systems, transmitters, highways and bridges.