Dayton Codebreakers
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Desch-Mumma 1973 Interview

Index to topics in, and supplemental information about, the 1973 Smithsonian History of Computing Interview

Sections

Jan. 17th, tape 1, side 1 pages 1 through 43

Jan. 17th, tape 1, side 1, pages 44 through 86

Jan. 17th, tape 2, side 1-2, pages 87 through 166

Jan. 18th, tape 1, side 1 pages 1 through 43

Jan. 18th, tape 1, side 1, pages 44 through 86

Jan. 18th, tape 2, side 2, pages 87 through 166

Tread lightly: repairs to link in progress! Thanks–long overdue–Jan 2018

Topics

1938 “Scheme to use gas-filled thyratrons”

Bob Mumma, the 1939 accumulator

Radio controlled land mines for Signal Corps

Secret Communication device

work for the NDRC and MIT

Thyratron development

Thtyratron development and specs

University of Chicago counter

Binary to decimal conversion in the Chicago counter

Contract for Aberdeen Proving Ground

Bob Mumma talks about his binary multiplier

Binary/decimal conversion

Discussion of NCR and ENIAC

Views on Business vs. Scientific calculations

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    • 10 most FAQs
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    • US Navy Cryptanalytic Bombe
    • Joseph R. Desch
    • Op-20-G
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    • Turing in Dayton
    • The Accumulator
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  • Stray Thoughts

    Also beginning in the nineteenth century and reaching maturity in the 1920s and 1930s was a separate tradition of analog computing [e.g. punched card tabulating]. Engineers built simplified physical models of their problems and measured the values they needed to calculate.  Analog computers were used extensively and effectively in the design of electric power networks, dams and aircraft.

    Computer, Martin Campell-Kelly et al., p xii

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