The man who invented the computer, Charles Babbage was an English
polymath, philosopher, inventor, and mechanical engineer. He is also the
inventor of the Mechanical Computer.
Often called the ‘Father of the Computer’, Babbage’s work was stepping
the stone that led to major breakthroughs in the creation of more
advanced electronic versions of the computer.
Biography
Charles Babbage was lived from 26th December 1791 to 18th October
1871. He was born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London,
England. His parents, Benjamin Babbage and Betsy Plumleigh Teape had
4 children.
His father worked as a partner to William Praed, founding Praed’s & Co.
Later, his family moved to East Teignmouth, to the old Rowdens house.
At the age of eight, Charles Babbage suffered from a life-threatening
illness.
He was sent to a country school, Alphington, near Exeter to recover. He
attended the King Edward VI Grammar School in Totnes, South Devon,
but he then resorted to Private tutoring due to his health.
Babbage joined the Holmwood academy in Baker Street, Enfield,
Middlesex.
It was run by Reverend Stephen Freeman and had a class strength of
only 30, helping him receive lot of personal attention.
The library of the institute induced an affinity for mathematics in Charles
Babbage.
After attending classes at the academy, he also received private tutoring
from two more teachers.
The second of which was a tutor at Oxford under whose guidance,
Babbage received admission to the Trinity College, University of
Cambridge.
Education at Cambridge
He taught himself contemporary mathematics at a young age, and so, he
was disappointed in the standard teaching methods offered.
With his fellow friends and colleagues John Herschel, George Peacock,
and more, he formed the Analytical Society.
He transferred to Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he received a degree
without examination. He was one of the best mathematicians but did not
graduate with honors.
He also defended a sacrilegious thesis in the preliminary public
disputation. This created a reputation for him, also bringing him into the
limelight.
Inventions
Apart from being the Father of the computer, Charles Babbage also did
the following:
• Babbage carried out research work to prove the superiority of the
broad gauge in railways.
• He invented the pilot or cowcatcher, the metal structure in front of
trains, to clear small blockages on the track.
• He constructed a dynamometer car.
• Invented the Ophthalmoscope.
Cryptography
Charles Babbage’s work in cryptography was unknown till a century after
his death. He broke the autokey cipher by Vigenère during the Crimean
War in the 1850s.
This discovery was kept secret by the military. Credit for deciphering it
was instead given to Friedrich Kasiski.
Babbage Principle
The Babbage principle talks about the careful classification of labor to
maximize output. He believed a lot of skilled workers perform tasks
below their abilities.
The Labour costs may be cut and efficiency may increase if the workers
are giving tasks of their skill level.
Charles Babbage designed one of the first mechanical computers. His
machine was not completed due to funding issues.
The journey of the Father of computing consisted of 2 essential parts,
The Difference Engine, and The Analytical Engine.
Difference Engine
Charles Babbage began working on different engines in 1822. It was
designed to calculate the values of polynomial functions by using the
method of finite differences.
He worked with Joseph Clement to implement the design. However,
soon, the two fell out over the cost.
It remained unfinished. He then designed the “Difference Engine No. 2”,
this was not funded at all. It was finally constructed in 1991, where it
performed its first calculation.
The remains of the first prototype lie in the Museum of the History of
Science, Oxford.
Analytical Engine
Following the failure of the difference engine, Babbage began working on
a more complex design which he called the “Analytical Engine”.
It signified the transition from mechanized arithmetic to complete the
mathematical computation.
It was never fully complete as he made changes and improvements time
and again. He worked on it until his death.
Charles Babbage died a 79-year-old man, on 18th October 1871 at 1
Dorset Street, Marylebone. He rejected knighthood and baronetcy.
Charles Babbage will always be remembered; some of his memorials are:
• Babbage Crater on the moon.
• Computing award, Charles Babbage Premium.
• British train named after him
• Charles Babbage Institue of Technology at the University of
Minnesota.
• University of Plymouth computing building called the Babbage
building,
• The Economists’ science and technology blog called ‘Babbage’
• The Babbage Programming Language.
Here are some of Charles Babbage’s most famous quotes:
• At each increase of knowledge, as well as on the contrivance of
every new tool, human labor becomes abridged.
• The public character of every public servant is a legitimate subject
of discussion, and his fitness or unfitness for office may be fairly
canvassed by any person.
• It is therefore not unreasonable to suppose that some portion of the
neglect of science in England, may be attributed to the system of
education we pursue.
• A tool is usually more simple than a machine; it is generally used
with the hand, whilst a machine is frequently moved by animal or
steam power.
• Another mode of accumulating power arises from lifting a weight
and then allowing it to fall.
• Perhaps it would be better for science, that all criticism should be
avowed.
Charles Babbage may be gone but never forgotten. This blog covers
some of his life and his most remarkable contributions to the world.
His pioneering work in computing that was pivotal to the first computer
ever created. The legacy of the Father of Computing will live on forever.
