Illinois Automatic Computer (ILLIAC ) I, 1955
Image / ComputerHistory.org:
https://www.computerhistory.org/collect.../catalog/102651955
Von Neumann Architecture: ILLIAC I was the first von Neumann architecture computer built and owned by an American university. This architecture became a blueprint for many other computers in the 1950s.
Twin Design: Unlike most computers of its era, both ILLIAC I and its twin, ORDVAC, were identical in design, ensuring software compatibility between them.
Computing Power: By 1956, ILLIAC I had more computing power than all computers at Bell Labs combined, a remarkable achievement for its time.
Scientific Applications: ILLIAC I was used for various scientific tasks, including calculating Sputnik’s orbit after its launch in 1957. It wasn’t just a data processing machine; it could handle complex operations on small amounts of information.
Place in History: ILLIAC I played a pivotal role in advancing computer science and paved the way for subsequent supercomputers.
The Confederacy's 'coal bomb,' manufactured by the Selma arsenal, was one of the sneakiest weapons of the Civil War. Only two or three exist. Painted black to resemble coal, the plan was to sneak it into a coal pile for Union steamships, where it would detonate upon being shoveled into the fire, exploding the boiler and crippling the ship.
