Comments on: MONIAC and the warfare state http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:16:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75415 Brett Holman Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:22:02 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75415 I wondered about that -- I don't remember seeing it when I was there in July. Though that may have been because I was in a hurry to see the flight gallery that you mention! I wondered about that — I don’t remember seeing it when I was there in July. Though that may have been because I was in a hurry to see the flight gallery that you mention!

]]> By: Ian Evans http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75380 Ian Evans Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:20:49 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75380 Well, there's synchronicity for you! I had a spare afternoon in London on Wednesday and as I was heading for Heathrow via Paddington on the Circle line, stopped off for a visit to the Science Museum. On my way up to the flight gallery I diverted through the computing section to pay homage to the works of Babbage (lots of beautifully polished brass and a great big handle for motive power; some day all computers will be made this way), and just past that section, there was MONIAC. I think it must have gone on display fairly recently, there was an article on it in one of the Sunday heavies. It may well be in working order, but it's not working; a notice informs interested parties that all fluid has been removed to prevent corrosion. Well, there’s synchronicity for you! I had a spare afternoon in London on Wednesday and as I was heading for Heathrow via Paddington on the Circle line, stopped off for a visit to the Science Museum. On my way up to the flight gallery I diverted through the computing section to pay homage to the works of Babbage (lots of beautifully polished brass and a great big handle for motive power; some day all computers will be made this way), and just past that section, there was MONIAC. I think it must have gone on display fairly recently, there was an article on it in one of the Sunday heavies. It may well be in working order, but it’s not working; a notice informs interested parties that all fluid has been removed to prevent corrosion.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75301 Brett Holman Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:40:33 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75301 Stalking, or standing on the shoulders of giants ... take your pick! Stalking, or standing on the shoulders of giants … take your pick!

]]> By: The Financephalograph http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75277 The Financephalograph Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:43:33 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75277 [...] Your war bonds at work: Brett Holman at Airminded follows up my link to MONIAC with more history, smart analysis, and lots of pictures. [...] [...] Your war bonds at work: Brett Holman at Airminded follows up my link to MONIAC with more history, smart analysis, and lots of pictures. [...]

]]> By: Rob MacD http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75275 Rob MacD Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:40:09 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75275 So cool! Thanks for this. And, @Chris Wms, I should have known this would connect up to Agar's Government Machine. So cool! Thanks for this. And, @Chris Wms, I should have known this would connect up to Agar’s Government Machine.

]]> By: Chris Williams http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75259 Chris Williams Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:55:53 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75259 You stalking my mates, Holman? I know Chris Bissell - he's also works at the OU. I'm sure that this work was picked up by the Treasury. I'd check Agar's _Government Machine_ for evidence of this, but my copy is AWOL. You stalking my mates, Holman? I know Chris Bissell - he’s also works at the OU.

I’m sure that this work was picked up by the Treasury. I’d check Agar’s _Government Machine_ for evidence of this, but my copy is AWOL.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75255 Brett Holman Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:21:48 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75255 Yeah, me too! I'm thinking of differential analysers ... you may be right about the antecedents, not my area! The one I was thinking was a differential analyser built by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Hartree" rel="nofollow">Douglas Hartree</a> at Manchester University in 1935 (used for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartree-Fock_method" rel="nofollow">Hartree-Fock approximations</a>, which were still being taught to physics undergrads 60 years later). That was inspired by Vannevar Bush's earlier DA. But you may be right -- the DA was invented much earlier, in 1876. Not sure what use it was put to (though it was invented by Lord Kelvin's brother). In 1912 Pollen used one for his fire-control computer. Yeah, me too!

I’m thinking of differential analysers … you may be right about the antecedents, not my area! The one I was thinking was a differential analyser built by Douglas Hartree at Manchester University in 1935 (used for Hartree-Fock approximations, which were still being taught to physics undergrads 60 years later). That was inspired by Vannevar Bush’s earlier DA. But you may be right — the DA was invented much earlier, in 1876. Not sure what use it was put to (though it was invented by Lord Kelvin’s brother). In 1912 Pollen used one for his fire-control computer.

]]> By: Jakob http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/#comment-75249 Jakob Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:18:46 +0000 http://airminded.org/?p=507#comment-75249 Where were the electromechanical computers used for atomic physics? I hadn't heard of these. I thought the earliest analogue computers (leaving aside calculators for arithmetic in the tradition of Pascal and Leibniz) were for ballistic calculations, both for creating ballistic tables for artillery, and for bombsights. All fascinating stuff, and grist to the mill for Rob's simulation concept course (which I fervently hope will become reality one day.) Where were the electromechanical computers used for atomic physics? I hadn’t heard of these. I thought the earliest analogue computers (leaving aside calculators for arithmetic in the tradition of Pascal and Leibniz) were for ballistic calculations, both for creating ballistic tables for artillery, and for bombsights.

All fascinating stuff, and grist to the mill for Rob’s simulation concept course (which I fervently hope will become reality one day.)

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