Herman Hollerith
Invented the tabulating machine, which was crucial for processing the 1890 US Census.
Most quoted
"I came to the conclusion that if I could devise a mechanism whereby the items of information could be recorded by means of holes in cards, and then combined and counted by electrical means, the whole census problem could be solved."
— from Interview/Recollection, 1889
"My invention comprises a traveling carrier for the card, a series of electrically-controlled counters, and means for bringing the card and the counters into cooperative relation."
— from Patent Application, 1889
"The problem of handling statistics by mechanical means is one of the most interesting and important problems that has ever been presented to the inventor."
— from An Electric Tabulating System, 1889
All quotes by Herman Hollerith (430)
It is not the machine that thinks, but the man who directs it.
The object of the machine is to do the work of the human brain, but to do it more rapidly and accurately.
The problem of statistics is essentially a problem of counting and classifying.
My system is not merely a counting machine, but a classifying machine as well.
The future of statistics lies in the development of mechanical means for handling large masses of data.
The more complex the data, the greater the need for mechanical tabulation.
Every census is a race against time.
The success of the census depends upon the accuracy and speed of its tabulation.
The punched card is the key to unlocking the secrets hidden in vast quantities of data.
My ambition is to make the tabulation of statistics as simple and automatic as possible.
The machine is a tool, and like any tool, its effectiveness depends on the skill of the user.
Innovation is not about inventing new things, but about finding new ways to use existing things.
The greatest challenge in engineering is to simplify the complex.
Accuracy is paramount in statistical work; without it, the results are meaningless.
The future belongs to those who can master information.
My work is a testament to the power of systematic thinking.
The machine should serve man, not the other way around.
There is no substitute for hard work and perseverance in the pursuit of an idea.
The most elegant solutions are often the simplest.
To truly understand a problem, one must first break it down into its fundamental components.
Contemporaries of Herman Hollerith
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Herman Hollerith (1860–1929).