Eighty years ago, IBM presented Harvard University with one of the
world's earliest computers: the Automated Sequence Controlled
Calculator (ASCC), later known as the Harvard Mark I.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/08/harvard_mark_1

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JAB <here@is.invalid> writes:

Eighty years ago, IBM presented Harvard University with one of the
world's earliest computers: the Automated Sequence Controlled
Calculator (ASCC), later known as the Harvard Mark I.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/08/harvard_mark_1

In 1953, one of my teachers (Bob McCreech) took a class group to
Boston to visit interesting stuff. One stop was at Harvard where we
had a look at "the computer" [note definite article]. AFAIR 70 years
on, it occupied the wall space around a largish room into which we
were allowed to gaze through glass. In an adjacent room we were
allowed into, there was a paper tape punch. The duty tour guide
caused the computer to punch out our names in strips of paper tape
that each of us could carry away as a souvenir.

Would this have been the Mark I? Some other machine?

A mere 15 years later, I actually wrote a toy program in some version
of Fortran for an IBM 1620 that, together with it's console, line
printer and card-handling gear was no larger than two or three home
freezers. :-)

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

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On 10 Aug 2024 02:08:07 -0300, Mike Spencer
<mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:

Would this have been the Mark I? Some other machine?

"The machine was in operation until 1959 when it was dismantled again.
The Print and Punch unit of the machine is currently on loan to the
Smithsonian Institution. Other components can be found in Harvard's
Science and Engineering Complex in Allston, US"

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