“Much of the early engineering development of digital computers was done in universities. A few years ago, the view was commonly expressed that universities had played their part in computer design, and that the matter could now safely be left to industry. [...] Apart from the obvious functions of keeping in the public domain material that might otherwise be hidden, universities can make a special contribution by reason of their freedom from commercial considerations, including freedom from the need to follow the fashion.” NeedsYearsMatterReasonDoneMightLeftViewsSpecialFashionDesignMaterialsDevelopmentIndustryComputerYears AgoFunctionIncludingUniversityObviousContributionConsiderationDigitalEngineeringDomainPublic Domain Author:Maurice Wilkes
“Professor Wilkes is best known as the builder and designer of the EDSAC, the first computer with an internally stored program. Built in 1949, the EDSAC used a mercury delay line memory. He is also known as the author, with Wheeler and Gill, of a volume on "Preparation of Programs for Electronic Digital Computers" in 1951, in which program libraries were effectively introduced.” FirstsUsedLinesMemoriesKnownComputerBuiltProgramLibraryPreparationDesignerDigitalProfessorsVolumeDelayBuilderMercury Author:Maurice Wilkes
