Advent of Computing

In 1957 John Backus developed FORTRAN. It changed the world of programming forever. It was the first high level programming language to see widespread adoptions. In many ways it shaped what programming looks like today. However, it wasn't the first attempt at a replacement for machine code. In fact, it wasn't even Backus's first attempt. In 1953 he designed SpeedCoding, a strange language you've probably never heard of.
Use Speedcode Yourself: https://github.com/WizardOfHaas/Speedcoding
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Computers can do anything! They can open new fields of study, connect the world, and solve impossible problems. But can they find you love? The answer may be yes. That is, if you can escape all the scams, hoaxes, and odd happenings in the world of early comptuer dating!
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Have you ever wanted to use your computer, only to realize that it had been taken hostage? Over the decades there have been a number of cases where machines have been used as leverage against their owners. Today we look at tales of these digital kidnappings.
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I bet you can't make a virus for a home computer. That challenge was the start of an interesting saga. It would end with an honest to goodness computer virus spreading among Commodore 64 users. That virus may have made it as far as America and Turkey. It at least infected the offices of a computer magazine.
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Boo! Welcome to Spook Month 2026! I start off my scary coverage by looking at the dangers of the mainframe rooms of the 50s and 60s. We all know that running computers can be a drag. But can it be deadly? Answering that question takes me through government documents, maintenance manuals, and odd recollections of days gone by.
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