Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing [electronic resource] /

Volume 1: 1. Introduction -- 2. Basic Principles -- 3. The Coming of Age of Arithmetic -- 4. Classification of Calculating Aids and Related Instruments -- 5. Chronology  -- 6. Pioneers in Calculating and Computing Technology -- 7. Conferences and Institutes -- 8. Global Overview of Early Digital Computers -- 9. Museums and Collections -- 10. The Antikythera Mechanism -- 11. Schwilgués Calculating Machines -- 12. The Thomas Arithmometer -- 13. The Curta -- 14. Slide Rules -- 15. Historical Automatons and Robots -- 16. Mechanical Calculating Aids -- 17. Technological, Economic, Social and Cultural History -- 18. Preserving the Technical Heritage -- 19. Operating Instructions -- Index of Persons, Places and Subjects -- Volume 2: 1. Who Was the Inventor of the Computer? -- 2. Computer Development in Germany -- 3. Computer Development in the United Kingdom -- 4. Computer Development in Switzerland -- 5. Documents Relevant to the Z4 and Ermeth -- 6. The Global Evolution of Computer Technology -- 7. Glossary of the History of Technology: German-English -- 8. Glossary of the History of Technology: English-German -- Bibliography for the History of Science and Technology -- Index of Persons, Places and Subjects.

This Third Edition is the first English-language edition of the award-winning Meilensteine der Rechentechnik; illustrated in full color throughout in two volumes. The Third Edition is devoted to both analog and digital computing devices, as well as the world's most magnificient historical automatons and select scientific instruments (employed in astronomy, surveying, time measurement, etc.). It also features detailed instructions for analog and digital mechanical calculating machines and instruments, and is the only such historical book with comprehensive technical glossaries of terms not found in print or in online dictionaries. The book also includes a very extensive bibliography based on the literature of numerous countries around the world. Meticulously researched, the author conducted a worldwide survey of science, technology and art museums with their main holdings of analog and digital calculating and computing machines and devices, historical automatons and selected scientific instruments in order to describe a broad range of masterful technical achievements. Also covering the history of mathematics and computer science, this work documents the cultural heritage of technology as well.