Crash Course 10 - Early Programming

What was the primary method used to program the Jacquard Loom to create patterned cloth?

• Manual adjustment of threads by skilled workers.

• Electronic signals sent from a central computer.

• Punched cards that dictated thread movement.

• Verbal commands given to the loom operator.

Why were early tabulating machines, like those used for the 1890 US Census, not considered true computers?

• They were too slow to process large amounts of data.

• They could only perform one fixed operation and were not programmable.

• They relied on human operators for every calculation.

• They used electricity, which was not considered "computing" at the time.

What was a significant drawback of using plugboards to program early business machines and computers like the ENIAC?

• They were too expensive to manufacture.

• They could only store a very limited amount of data.

• Rewiring them for each new program was a time-consuming and complex process.

• They were prone to electrical fires.

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What is the key characteristic of the Von Neumann architecture in computers?

• It uses separate memory units for programs and data.

• It allows programs and data to be stored together in a single, shared memory.

• It relies exclusively on punched cards for program input.

• It requires manual rewiring for every new program.

What is a key component of the Von Neumann architecture responsible for storing both data and instructions?

• Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

• Control Unit

• Memory

• Data Registers

How were programs and data primarily loaded into early computers before they could run?

• USB drives

• Punch cards

• CD-ROMs

• Hard drives

Which system held the record for the largest program ever punched into cards, employing 20% of the world's programmers at its peak?

• ENIAC

• UNIVAC

• SAGE air defense system

• IBM System/360

How were programs entered into the Altair 8800, the first commercially successful home computer?

• By typing on a keyboard

• By inserting floppy disks

• By toggling switches on the front panel

• By using punched paper tape