Xref: utzoo comp.edu:2392 sci.edu:545 sci.math:7484 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!rutgers!njin!hubey From: hubey@pilot.njin.net (Hubey) Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.edu,sci.math Subject: Re: Questions about the history of computing... Keywords: Were there (non-trivial) programs before computers? Message-ID: Date: 6 Aug 89 21:25:47 GMT References: <9086@thorin.cs.unc.edu> Organization: NJ InterCampus Network, New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 24 In article <9086@thorin.cs.unc.edu> bts@evergreen.cs.unc.edu (Bruce Smith) writes: > I'd appreciate any (fairly simple) references on this subject. > Maybe about the level of Scientific American's history articles. > This is posted to a couple of education newsgroups, because one > reason for asking is to find material suitable for introductory > CS courses. It's posted to sci.math, because this is probably > just as much a question in the history of (applied) mathematics. I can't supply references--not exactly anyway--but I remember reading years ago that the Romans had worked out different algorithms for multiplying different numbers. They had special matrix-like algorithms. i.e. recall they did not use Hindu-Arabic numerals. The best I can do for reference is that I think the book had something to do with the 'Great Books of the Western World' series. regards mark -- hubey@OSultrix.montclair.edu hubey@pilot.njin.net hubey@apollo.montclair.edu VOICE: 201-893-5269 ...!rutgers!njin!hubey