Herman Hollerith: Difference between revisions
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'''Herman Hollerith''' is important in the [[history of computing]] for having invented punched card input for program instructions. | '''Herman Hollerith''' is important in the [[history of computing]] for having invented punched card input for program instructions. He was born on [[February 29]], [[1860]] in Buffalo, [[New York]]. In [[1875]], Hollerith attended the City College of New York, he graduated from the Columbia School of Mines in 1879 with an engineering degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Hollerith.html|title=Hollerith Biography|author=O'Connor, J. J. and Robertson, E. F.|date=July 1999|publisher=School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St. Andrews, Scotland|accessdate=2007-05-14}}</ref> After graduating, Hollerith took up work with the United States Census Bureau, and was appointed Chief Special Agent. Hollerith's contribution to computing was inspired by his work at the USCB, especially from Dr. John Shaw Billings who suggested that there should be a way to process the large amount of census data by some mechcanical means. | ||
In 1884, Hollerith worked to develop a way to tabulate census information through the use of punch cards. | In 1884, Hollerith worked to develop a way to tabulate census information through the use of punch cards. Eventually, he recognized that cards could be used as storage medium for census data. His experiments lead to a process by where a pin would go through a hole in the card to complete an electrical circuit. His system by which cards could be read and tabulated on a mechanical counter through a circuit completion was called the Hollerith Electric Tabulating System. By 1890, the machines were improved so that a simple keyboard could be used to tabulate data instead of entry by hand. He started his own business in 1896 when he founded the Tabulating Machine Company, a predecessor to the International Business Machines Corporation. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 08:53, 27 May 2007
Herman Hollerith is important in the history of computing for having invented punched card input for program instructions. He was born on February 29, 1860 in Buffalo, New York. In 1875, Hollerith attended the City College of New York, he graduated from the Columbia School of Mines in 1879 with an engineering degree.[1] After graduating, Hollerith took up work with the United States Census Bureau, and was appointed Chief Special Agent. Hollerith's contribution to computing was inspired by his work at the USCB, especially from Dr. John Shaw Billings who suggested that there should be a way to process the large amount of census data by some mechcanical means.
In 1884, Hollerith worked to develop a way to tabulate census information through the use of punch cards. Eventually, he recognized that cards could be used as storage medium for census data. His experiments lead to a process by where a pin would go through a hole in the card to complete an electrical circuit. His system by which cards could be read and tabulated on a mechanical counter through a circuit completion was called the Hollerith Electric Tabulating System. By 1890, the machines were improved so that a simple keyboard could be used to tabulate data instead of entry by hand. He started his own business in 1896 when he founded the Tabulating Machine Company, a predecessor to the International Business Machines Corporation.
References
- ↑ O'Connor, J. J. and Robertson, E. F. (July 1999). Hollerith Biography. School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Retrieved on 2007-05-14.