![]() ![]() Turing was a key member of the team there and his work was directly responsible for breaking several German codes which, according to some historians, shortened the war by at least a couple years.įrom there, Turing went on to develop what was known as the ACE (Automatic Computing Engine), which stood apart from its predecessors as the first machine to employ “abbreviated computer instructions”-a programming language.Ĭoded messages inspired code-breaking, which needed speed and efficiency these qualities required machines, which required more speed and efficiency, which required they run on an abbreviated language that would operate a program, which meant they needed…code.Ĭoming full-circle in developmental needs and advancements in a very short time, computer technology took off from there. ![]() Having your city bombed repeatedly is apparently a tremendous motivator, as the team there made rapid advancements in the area of automated assistance, which led to the creation of a machine named “Colossus”-arguably the world’s first programmable, electronic, digital computer (see picture above). Assembling most of their efforts at a place called Bletchley Park, an English country estate, they set to work on determining the best way to crack the case, so to speak. But relevant to this narrative is the part he played in the development of coding.ĭuring World War II, the British were intent on breaking coded messages being sent by the Germans. Remember when Doctor Strange played the part of Alan Turing in the movie The Imitation Game? If you haven’t already seen it, I highly recommend it, as it is a fascinating story, albeit a tragic one, given the treatment such a brilliant mind received. While it’s tempting to dig deep into a brain-twisting inquiry of information theory, for now, we’ll just stick with the basics, which of course begins with… When writing about the development of anything from a historical perspective, it’s tough to pick a starting point without getting overly-philosophical pretty quickly ( how did we get here?). No? Well, you should-because it’s pretty cool and important. Have you ever looked at pictures of the first computers and wondered how we got from that to the super-sweet, high-speed device on which you are now reading this article? ![]()
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