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Technology for Modelling

Electrical Analogies, Engineering Practice, and the Development of Analogue Computing

  • Book
  • © 2010

Overview

Authors:
  1. Charles Care

    1. Dept. Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

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  • Suggests a new interpretation of the history of analogue computing, taking into account how the technology has been used and applied
  • Demonstrates how the history of analogue computing can be understood in terms of the two parallel themes of calculation and modelling, and describes how the technology evolved
  • Includes a number of detailed case studies examining analogue modelling in academic research, oil reservoir modelling, aeronautical design, and meteorology
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: History of Computing (HC)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XVIII
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  2. Modelling, Calculation and Analogy: The Themes of Analogue Computing

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Introduction: Analogue Computers in the History of Computing

      • Charles Care
      Pages 3-16

    3. A Multi-Stranded Chronology of Analogue Computing

      • Charles Care
      Pages 17-55

    4. Modelling Technology and the History of Analogue Computing

      • Charles Care
      Pages 57-72

    5. Origins of Analogue: Conceptual Association and Entanglement

      • Charles Care
      Pages 73-93

  3. Analogue Computing in Use: A Selection of Contexts

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95
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    2. Analogue Computers in British Higher Education

      • Charles Care
      Pages 97-121

    3. Analogue Computers and Oil Reservoir Modelling

      • Charles Care
      Pages 123-140

    4. Analogue–Digital Decisions in British Aeronautical Research

      • Charles Care
      Pages 141-156

    5. The Analogue Dishpan: Physical Modelling Versus Numerical Calculation in Meteorology

      • Charles Care
      Pages 157-175

    6. Conclusion

      • Charles Care
      Pages 177-183

  4. Back Matter

    Pages 185-209
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Keywords

About this book

Historians have different views on the core identity of analogue computing. Some portray the technology solely as a precursor to digital computing, whereas others stress that analogue applications existed well after 1940. Even within contemporary sources, there is a spectrum of understanding around what constitutes analogue computing. To understand the relationship between analogue and digital computing, and what this means for users today, the history must consider how the technology is used. Technology for Modelling investigates the technologies, the concepts, and the applications of analogue computing. The text asserts that analogue computing must be thought of as not just a computing technology, but also as a modelling technology, demonstrating how the history of analogue computing can be understood in terms of the parallel themes of calculation and modelling. The book also includes a number of detailed case studies of the technology's use and application. Topics and features: discusses the meaning of analogue computing and its significance in history, and describes the main differences between analogue and digital computing; provides a chronology of analogue computing, based upon the two major strands of calculation and modeling; examines the wider relationship between computing and modelling, and discusses how the theme of modelling fits within the history of analogue computing; describes how the history of analogue computing evolved through a number of stages of use; presents illustrative case studies on analogue modelling in academic research, oil reservoir modelling, aeronautical design, and meteorology. General readers and researchers in the field of history of computing – as well as history of science more generally – will find this book a fascinating insight into the historical use and evolution of technology. The volume provides a long-needed historical framework and context for these core computing technologies. Dr. Charles Care is a seniorsoftware engineer at BT and an Associate Fellow at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Warwick, UK.

Reviews

From the reviews:

“Care’s book looks at the history, technologies, concepts, and applications of analog computing. … chapters provide a very good historical perspective on the subject. … nicely summarizes Care’s main themes. The book includes a detailed table of contents, a list of relevant acronyms, a comprehensive list of references, and a short index. It is an invaluable addition to the library of anyone interested in the history of analog computing and modeling.” (David B. Henderson, ACM Computing Reviews, November, 2010)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dept. Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

    Charles Care

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Technology for Modelling

  • Book Subtitle: Electrical Analogies, Engineering Practice, and the Development of Analogue Computing

  • Authors: Charles Care

  • Series Title: History of Computing

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-948-0

  • Publisher: Springer London

  • eBook Packages: Computer Science, Computer Science (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag London Limited 2010

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-84882-947-3Published: 05 July 2010

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4471-2573-0Published: 05 September 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-84882-948-0Published: 25 June 2010

  • Series ISSN: 2190-6831

  • Series E-ISSN: 2190-684X

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVIII, 203

  • Topics: History of Computing, Simulation and Modeling

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