Know-how computer
The know-how computer or WDR paper computer is a teaching aid that shows how a computer works with the help of matches on preprinted fields on a sheet of paper. This enables interested parties to learn how a computer works without having an electronic computer available; At the time of publication, owning a computer was not as natural as it is today. This “computer” thus served as an educational aid in the field of computer science. The know-how computer was developed by Wolfgang Back and Ulrich Rohde and presented for the first time in the television program Know How Computerclub (later WDR Computerclub ) in 1983.
It was also published in mc and PC Magazin .
The “computer” works on paper; the pre-printed fields represent individual registers , while the register content is represented by the matches. Only five commands are sufficient to be able to display all mathematical functions based on them. This exercise computer on paper was sent in over 400,000 copies and was one of the most widely used computers at the time. An implementation as a computer program is available on Wolfgang Back's website.
The working method is based on register machines (the mc article refers to Elmar Cohors-Fresenborg), but corresponds more to the approach of Shepherdson and Sturgis.
A derived version is used as a “Know How Computer” in Namibia in school lessons.
literature
- ^ Ulrich Rohde: Computer for Beginners. Magazine mc , issue 5/1983, Franzis Verlag Munich. ISSN 0720-4442
- ^ Elmar Cohors-Fresenborg: Mathematics with calculi and machines. Vieweg 1977. ISBN 3 528 08381 6
Web links
- Further information on the know-how computer ( Memento from March 31, 2001 in the Internet Archive )
- The know-how computer on Wolfgang Back's homepage
- More modern implementation of the know-how computer
- JavaScript implementation of the know-how computer
- Know How Computer in Namibia ( Memento from May 23, 2014 in the Internet Archive )