Biography of Konrad Zuse, Inventor of Modern Computers

Konrad Zuse (June 22, 1910–December 18, 1995) earned the semi-official title of inventor of the modern computer for his series of automatic calculators, which he invented to help with his lengthy engineering calculations. Zuse  modestly dismissed the title, though, praising the inventions of his contemporaries and successors as being equally—if not more—important than his own. Fast Facts: Konrad Zuse Known For: Inventor of the first electronic, fully programmable digital computers, and a programming languageBorn: June 22, 1910 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, GermanyParents: Emil Wilhelm Albert Zuse and Maria Crohn ZuseDied: December 18, 1995 in Hà ¼nfeld (near Fulda), GermanySpouse: Gisela Ruth BrandesChildren: Horst, Klaus Peter, Monika, Hannelore Birgit, and Friedrich Zuse Early Life Konrad Zuse was born on June 22, 1910, in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Germany, and was the second of the two children of the Prussian civil servant and postal officer Emil Wilhelm Albert Zuse and his wife Maria Crohn Zuse. Konrads sister was named Lieselotte. He attended a series of grammar schools and briefly considered a career in art, but he eventually enrolled at the  Technical College (Technischen Hochschule) in Berlin-Charlottenburg, graduating with a degree in civil engineering in 1935. After graduation, he started work as a design engineer at the Henschel Flugzeugwerke (Henschel aircraft factory) in Berlin-Schà ¶nefeld. He resigned a year later after deciding to devote his life entirely to the construction of a computer, work that he pursued relentlessly between 1936 and 1964. The Z1 Calculator   One of the most difficult aspects of performing large calculations with slide rules or mechanical adding machines is keeping track of all the intermediate results and using them in their proper place during the later steps of the calculation. Zuse wanted to overcome that difficulty.  He realized that an automatic calculator would require three basic elements: a control, a memory, and a calculator for the arithmetic. Zuse made a mechanical calculator called the Z1 in 1936. This was the first binary computer. He used it to explore several groundbreaking technologies in calculator development: floating-point arithmetic, high-capacity memory, and modules or relays operating on the yes/no principle.   Electronic, Fully Programmable Digital Computers Zuses ideas were not fully implemented in the Z1  but they succeeded more with each Z prototype. Zuse completed the Z2,  the first fully functioning electro-mechanical computer in 1939,  and the Z3 in 1941. The Z3 used recycled materials donated by fellow university staff and students. It was the worlds first electronic, fully programmable digital computer based on a binary floating-point number and a  switching system. Zuse used old movie film to store his programs and data for the Z3 instead of paper tape or punched cards. Paper was in short supply in Germany during the war. According to The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse by Horst Zuse: In 1941, the Z3 contained almost all the features of a modern computer as defined by John von Neumann and his colleagues in 1946. The only exception was the ability to store the program in the memory together with the data. Konrad Zuse did not implement this feature in the Z3 because his 64-word memory was too small to support this mode of operation. Due to the fact that he wanted to calculate thousands of instructions in a meaningful order, he only used the memory to store values or numbers. The block structure of the Z3 is very similar to a modern computer. The Z3 consisted of separate units, such as a punch tape reader, control unit, floating-point arithmetic unit, and input/output devices.† Marriage and Family In 1945, Zuse married one of his employees, Gisela Ruth Brandes. They had five children: Horst, Klaus Peter, Monika, Hannelore Birgit, and Friedrich Zuse. The First Algorithmic Programming Language Zuse wrote the first algorithmic programming language in 1946. He called it Plankalkà ¼l and used it to program his computers. He wrote the worlds first chess-playing program using Plankalkà ¼l. The Plankalkà ¼l language included arrays and records and used a style of assignment—storing the value of an expression in a variable—in which the new value appears in the right column. An array is a collection of identically typed data items distinguished by their indices or subscripts,† such as  A[i,j,k], in which A is the array name and ​i, j, and k are the indices. Arrays are best when accessed in an unpredictable order. This is in contrast to lists, which are best when accessed sequentially. World War II Zuse was unable to convince the Nazi government to support his work for a computer based on electronic valves. The Germans thought they were close to winning the war and felt no need to support further research. The Z1 through Z3 models were shuttered, along with Zuse Apparatebau, the first computer company that Zuse formed in 1940. Zuse left for Zurich to finish his work on the Z4, which he smuggled from Germany in a military truck by hiding it in stables en route to Switzerland. He completed and installed the Z4 in the Applied Mathematics Division of Zurichs Federal Polytechnical Institute, where it remained in use until 1955.   The Z4 had a mechanical memory with a capacity of 1,024 words and several card readers. Zuse no longer had to use movie film to store programs since  he could now use punch cards. The Z4 had punches and various facilities to enable flexible programming, including address translation and conditional branching.   Zuse moved back to Germany in 1949 to form a second company called Zuse KG for the construction and marketing of his designs. Zuse rebuilt models of the Z3 in 1960 and the Z1 in 1984. Death and Legacy Konrad Zuse died on December 18, 1995, of a heart attack, in Hà ¼nfeld, Germany.  His innovations of fully working programmable calculators and a language to run it have established him as one of the innovators leading to the computing industry. Sources Dalakov, Georgi. Biography of Konrad Zuse. History of Computers.  1999.Zuse, Horst. Konrad Zuse—Biography. Konrad Zuse Homepage.  2013.Zuse, Konrad. The Computer, My Life. Trans. McKenna, Patricia and J. Andrew Ross. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag, 1993.

The War Of The Vietnam War - 752 Words

War is something of a desideratum and an atrocious entity. It sparks contentious discourses, and is often declared following such events. The Vietnam War is notably one war that has enraged many American citizens thereafter. It is understandable that President Kennedy would want to become involved in a war that is governmentally motivated; we have war to overthrow regimes and conquer land. Moreover, a possible cause of the Vietnam War could have been to overthrow the Communist regime so that no more people would be forced to live in the sphere of a homologous influence. (Source E) In due time the question became: what is more detrimental, having engaged in war, or having remained pacifistic? Both have consequences, both have casualties. President Kennedy decided to become socially involved- he initiated the Strategic Hamlet Program that â€Å" rounded up villagers and placed them in safe hamlets constructed by the GVN. The idea was to isolate the NLF from villagers, its base of supp ort. This culturally-insensitive plan produced limited results and further alienated the peasants from the Saigon regime. Through much of Diem s reign, rural Vietnamese had viewed the GVN as a distant annoyance, but the Strategic Hamlet Program brought the GVN to the countryside. The Saigon regime s reactive policies ironically produced more cadres for the NLF. â€Å" (Source D) Succinctly, the effect proved more fruitful for the NLF than the GVN. Because Kennedy decided to be culturally invasive, heShow MoreRelatedThe War Of Vietnam And The Vietnam War1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe war in Vietnam is The United States and other capitalist bloc countries supported South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) against the support by the Soviet Union and other socialist bloc countries of North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and the Vietcong of war. Which occurred during the Cold War of Vietnam (main battlefield), Laos, and Cambodia. This is the biggest and longtime war in American his tory during the 1960s (Best 2008). It is also the most significant war after World War IIRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1475 Words   |  6 Pageson one such event, the Vietnam War, came from entertainment-based programs and the play Miss Saigon. Despite heavy coverage in such well-known comedic films as Forrest Gump and Good Morning Vietnam, the true events were anything but a laugh for those involved. In spite of the relative recentness of the events in Vietnam, many of today’s youths know little about the topic. The events in Vietnam raise the ever-present question on the ethics of third party involvement in a war otherwise unrelated toRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1729 Words   |  7 Pagesspread of communism all around the world. This is what lead to the gruesome war that lasted over a decade in Vietnam. A great deal of social changed happened all over the world, but particularly in America as the Vietnam War dragged on. As people became more aware of the atro cities going on in Southeast Asia, the endless domestic support turned into widespread explosive protest. During the first few years of the Vietnam conflict, Americans full heartedly supported the United States and its governmentRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1379 Words   |  6 Pagestensions over the Vietnam war caused many americans to become divided on the actions taken by the government across seas. Americans questioned whether the government could be trusted. The feeling of betrayal and government secrecy created the â€Å"Credibility Gap,† in which many americans believed that the government no longer was for the people, but for anything else that would benefit the government. The Vietnam War exacerbated the gap between the pro-war traditionalists and anti-war liberals along withRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1430 Words   |  6 Pagesended in 1989, the Vietnam war is still being fought, but on a different battlefield, one of public opinion. Some call this war an atrocity, a war the United States should never have joined. Others call it a crime, committed by the power hungry politicians of the U.S. Now that new information from both sides of the war has surfaced and the wounds of battle have had more time to heal there is yet another opinion emerging. The Vietnam War was in fact only one of many proxy wars fought under the umbrellaRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Vietnam War cost many Americans their lives in the 60s and 70s. Many were drafted into the war by choice and others selectively chosen to join to help America. The contributions made had a major impact on the American side of the Vietnam War. 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The reason America got involved in the Vietnam War was to stop the spread of communism in South East Asia and beyond. â€Å"America’s involvement in Vietnam derivedRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1204 Words   |  5 Pagesus†¦ When that is the way you are, how do you conduct your life?† The Vietnam War killed over fifty eight thousand Americans and over 61% of the men killed were 21 years or younger. Most Americans are conflicted with the fact whether the Anti War Movement played a factor in prolonging the Vietnamese War. â€Å"In every story there are two sides and in between lies the truth.† Anonymous The United States become involved in Vietnam after the French withdrew when the Republican President Dwight EisenhowerRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War877 Words   |  4 PagesAnother big difference in this war was that the Vietnam War was had more disapproval and was more expressive within the American public, unlike the Korean War. The ANITWAR MOVEMENT started in the 1960s this group was never enacted until this era. There was not a group like this in Vietnam, but there were many groups that opposed the war. The main object of these revolts was the American military presence in Indochina. The ANITWAR MOVEMENT caused an influence not only socially, but also in the realmRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn July and August of 1972, Jane Fonda made radio broadcasts from Hanoi that changed the way Americans thought of the Vietnam war and of her. To this day, many people view her as a traitor and criticise her actions in Vietnam; however, some people we re truly inspired by her words and what she had to say. Despite people s personal opinions, Fonda was a powerful speaker and knew how to convey her message to her audience. She tried to convince people that the American government and military were the

A Walk To Remember Essay Example For Students

A Walk To Remember Essay I have chosen to analyse A Walk To Remember as it is also a romantic comedy and has similar qualities to my fictional film. The poster has a white background, which represents purity and virginity. The title is written at the bottom of the page in white writing with a blue background. To me, the contrast of the white against the blue is immediately striking. This then makes you read the title, which creates the enigma of What do they mean by a walk to remember? This may persuade someone to see the film. I think having a contrast of colours on the title and background would be suitable for my poster, as I dont think the film will be sold on its plot alone. The poster also includes comments from press, which a lot of people will think is helpful when deciding to see a film. The stars names Mandy Moore and Shane West create the brand identity of this film. Having the names of the stars on the poster will attract the target audience that in this case is teenagers. Teenagers usually look at who is starring in the film when deciding what to see, this is usually because they are fans of them or feel attracted to the actor/actress. The pictures of the characters are set in opposition to each other. The girl looks innocent and slightly seductive whereas the boy looks serious and slightly cocky. The way characters are positioned on a poster is important. It creates enigmas and allows you to try and see if you can figure out what might happen. In this case from looking at them I think that maybe something happens between the two characters. The background of this poster is again white. From researching on the Internet I have discovered that most romantic comedies have white backgrounds on their posters. I think this is because white connotes purity and most romantic comedies are about two people meeting and falling in love. The title of the film Just Married is written in half red half white. The red connotes love and passion, which is a suggestive give away of what the film is about. The title denotes wedded bliss and a honeymoon but the illustrations on the poster connotes mistrays, frustration and therefore humour. Again the actors/actresses names are on the poster. Theyre not that big but are bold and in capital letters. The names arent that eye-catching and it makes you focus more on the actual pictures on the poster. The images of the characters are very different from each other. The girl Brittany Murphy looks bored and angry and the way she is sitting tells us that maybe the couple have had an argument. Ashton Kutchers body language is very open and relaxed. This tells us that he doesnt seem that bothered that the female isnt talking to him. He seems very playful as hes looking up at the insect above him. The images of the dog and car creates enigmas like I wonder what happened to that car? and Why arent they talking to each other? From looking at this poster I would think it was about a couple that had just got married and a lot of things had gone wrong. The poster has no release date on it that maybe tells us that the poster was released once the film was out at the cinema. It also has no comments from the press. This isnt always a good idea to have as it could take away the focus from the actual contents on the poster or the poster itself. .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .postImageUrl , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:hover , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:visited , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:active { border:0!important; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:active , .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uccfe469c91746fa4f3337c3a13a048de:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dementia in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty EssayI think this poster would stand out from the rest when deciding to see a film as it has images which make the film look entertaining and amusing for example, the smashed up car. This is one of the very few romantic comedy posters, which has a colour other than white as a background. Blue connotes coldness and cleanliness. Having a Manhattan skyline in the background makes the setting very obvious. New York is a big, bustling city that tells us that their lives are as busy and hectic as the city itself. The title Two Weeks Notice doesnt give away what the film could possibly be about. It tells us that something is going to happen in two weeks or he/she has given someone two weeks notice to do something. What, we dont know. This creates many enigmas like Two weeks to do what? and What have they got two weeks to do? The actors names are written along the top of the poster. If people were deciding what to see by looking at posters this film would sell by the actors or actresses. Hugh Grant is a very popular actor liked by a wide range of people, mainly young women. Young women again usually like Sandra Bullock. From the names of the actors you can guess the target audience: young women and teenagers. Hugh Grant frequently stars in films dealing with real life issues for example Bridget Jones Diary and Billy Elliot with the exception of About A Boy so I presume this is the same. The image of the couple shows them interdependent but also in opposition to each one another. This tells us that they somehow are a couple but are against each other in another way.