Glory and Failure: The Difference Engines of Müller, Babbage and Scheutz <i>by Michael Lindgren (translated by Craig G. McKay)</i> (MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1990), pp. 414, $US45.00, ISBN 0-262-12146-8

Bryant, Tony C.

doi:10.1080/08109029108631963

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Prometheus

Volume 9, Issue 2

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Glory and Failure: The Difference Engines of Müller, Babbage and Scheutz by Michael Lindgren (translated by Craig G. McKay) (MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1990), pp. 414, $US45.00, ISBN 0-262-12146-8

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Author(s): Tony Bryant ^a

Publication date (Print): December 1991

Journal: Prometheus

Publisher: Pluto Journals

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Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): cpro20

Journal ID (archive): CPRO

Title: Prometheus

Subtitle: Critical Studies in Innovation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 0810-9028

ISSN (Electronic): 1470-1030

Publication date (Print): December 1991

Volume: 9

Issue: 2

Pages: 400-402

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^a Leeds Polytechnic

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Publisher ID: 8631963 Coden ID: Prometheus, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1991: pp. 400–402

DOI: 10.1080/08109029108631963

SO-VID: a2df70d0-fc05-4ef1-9a06-d776d70d3c42

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 4, Pages: 3

NOTES AND REFERENCES

Babbage may indeed have a very strong claim to be a founder of certain principles adhered to by computer scientists — he claimed his work was practically complete, when it was far from ready; he relied on the unsung efforts of his programming team; he was constantly over-budget and under-schedule; he delivered systems which never worked.
Joseph Weizenbaum. . 1976. . Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgement to Calculation . , p. ix San Francisco : : W.H. Freeman. .
Brian Winston. . 1986. . Misunderstanding Media . , London : : Routledge and Kegan Paul. .
The author, in the preface to the second edition, notes that material relating to calculating machines, computational tables, and Babbage's Analytical Engine, have been omitted. Perhaps it might be suggested to his publishers that a companion volume dealing with these be forthcoming in the future.

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[1] Babbage may indeed have a very strong claim to be a founder of certain principles adhered to by computer scientists — he claimed his work was practically complete, when it was far from ready; he relied on the unsung efforts of his programming team; he was constantly over-budget and under-schedule; he delivered systems which never worked.

[2] Joseph Weizenbaum. . 1976. . Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgement to Calculation . , p. ix San Francisco : : W.H. Freeman. .

[3] Brian Winston. . 1986. . Misunderstanding Media . , London : : Routledge and Kegan Paul. .

[4] The author, in the preface to the second edition, notes that material relating to calculating machines, computational tables, and Babbage's Analytical Engine, have been omitted. Perhaps it might be suggested to his publishers that a companion volume dealing with these be forthcoming in the future.