The Difference Engine

Difference Engine as designed by Charles Babbage

COMPUTERS have come a long way since British mathematician Charles Babbage (1791-1871) invented his Difference Engine No. 2. His early computer could make complicated calculation and print the results. However, it had over 4,000 parts, measured 3.4m wide and 2.1m high, weighed 2.6 tonnes and was operated by cranking a handle hundreds of times.
By comparison, some of the latest personal computers measure less than 3cm thick and weigh as little as 2.54kg, with processing speeds of up to 2.16GHz.

The writer is an occassional contributor.