> does anyone have links to books or info on old vacuum tube computer circuits?
Be aware of the big division in "computers".
We all know what digital computers are: they can count to 1 and build from there to larger numbers with "perfect precision".
But there were also analog computers. What is the path of a bullet of X weight with Y grains of powder fired at Z angle? Set up some capacitors and stuff, apply voltages proportional to the input data, and it will output a voltage proportional to height over time.
Or for a save-your-butt application: how far ahead of a moving bomber do you have to fire so it will fly into your bullets?
Bob Pease is actually kinda young to remember the early days, but worked in the field, and he has a good starter list at http://www.national.com/rap/vacuumtubes.html
Also see
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog/index.html Analog Computer Museum and History Center
http://www.tpub.com/neets/book22/91a.htm
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=28286
http://www.heathkit-museum.com/computers/ec-1.shtml Heathkit analog
http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/ArticleID/2829/2829.html history of computers
http://ed-thelen.org/computer.html Nike analog computer missile control
Note that much analog computer work revolves around the concept of an ideal "operational amplifier", which has gain so high that its actual gain is set by passive feedback components which can model various math functions. We know the op-amp mostly as a "multiply by X" tool: a straight amplifier.
Note also that analog computer accuracy is limited by practical and physical factors. But in many practical problems, a close answer is good enough.
There were also tube digital computers, some working very much like a Pentium except with 0.1% of the devices which filled a room. Digital computer design and layout is very different from analog computers.
Be aware of the big division in "computers".
We all know what digital computers are: they can count to 1 and build from there to larger numbers with "perfect precision".
But there were also analog computers. What is the path of a bullet of X weight with Y grains of powder fired at Z angle? Set up some capacitors and stuff, apply voltages proportional to the input data, and it will output a voltage proportional to height over time.
Or for a save-your-butt application: how far ahead of a moving bomber do you have to fire so it will fly into your bullets?
Bob Pease is actually kinda young to remember the early days, but worked in the field, and he has a good starter list at http://www.national.com/rap/vacuumtubes.html
Also see
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog/index.html Analog Computer Museum and History Center
http://www.tpub.com/neets/book22/91a.htm
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=28286
http://www.heathkit-museum.com/computers/ec-1.shtml Heathkit analog
http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/ArticleID/2829/2829.html history of computers
http://ed-thelen.org/computer.html Nike analog computer missile control
Note that much analog computer work revolves around the concept of an ideal "operational amplifier", which has gain so high that its actual gain is set by passive feedback components which can model various math functions. We know the op-amp mostly as a "multiply by X" tool: a straight amplifier.
Note also that analog computer accuracy is limited by practical and physical factors. But in many practical problems, a close answer is good enough.
There were also tube digital computers, some working very much like a Pentium except with 0.1% of the devices which filled a room. Digital computer design and layout is very different from analog computers.