Happy Babbage's Birthday!

[mdlbear]

Born this day in 1791, Charles Babbage is best known for inventing the stored-program digital computer. He failed in his efforts to actually construct what he called the Analytical Engine not (as popular belief has it) because the technology of the time was inadequate, but because he had trouble raising the necessary funds, and kept changing the specs.

I should also note that today is St. Stephen's Day, also known as the Feast of Stephen, an event to which I have a nominal connection.

In 1985 I wrote the song Uncle Ernie's (Used Computer Babbage's Birthday Bargain Bash) [ogg], mostly inspired by a surplus joint called Quinn's. Some years later we discovered that Babbage's Birthday is a miserable day on which to hold a garage sale.

Comments

[mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com]

he had trouble raising the necessary funds, and kept changing the specs.

...and so has gone computing from that day to this; over budget and with hopelessly fluid specs! I love it!