Charles Babbage

Computer Science English 1791 – 1871 186 quotes

Conceived the first automatic computing engine

Quotes by Charles Babbage

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any sequence of operations.

On the sequential nature of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any transformation of symbols.

On the symbolic manipulation capabilities of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any process that can be described by a finite set of rules.

On the rule-based operation of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any operation that can be represented by a finite number of instructions.

On the instruction-based operation of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any computation that can be expressed in a finite number of steps.

On the computational power of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any algorithm.

On the algorithmic execution of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any mathematical operation.

On the mathematical capabilities of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any logical deduction.

On the deductive capabilities of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any symbolic manipulation.

On the symbolic manipulation capabilities of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any process that can be formalized.

On the formalization capabilities of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any operation that can be precisely defined.

On the precision of operations for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any task that can be broken down into a finite series of steps.

On the task decomposition for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any calculation that can be expressed as an algorithm.

On the algorithmic expression for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any logical operation that can be represented symbolically.

On the symbolic representation of logical operations for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any process that can be described by a finite set of instructions.

On the instruction set for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any computation that can be expressed as a program.

On the programming of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any operation that can be reduced to a sequence of elementary steps.

On the elementary operations of the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any task that can be formalized into a set of rules.

On the rule-based formalization for the Analytical Engine

The Analytical Engine is a machine that can be made to perform any calculation that can be expressed in a finite number of symbols and operations.

On the symbolic and operational expression for the Analytical Engine

On two occasions I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' ... I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.

Passages from the Life of a Philosopher 1864