Professor Sir Maurice Wilkes

Kybernetes

ISSN: 0368-492X

Article publication date: 3 May 2011

807

Citation

Andrew, A.M. (2011), "Professor Sir Maurice Wilkes", Kybernetes, Vol. 40 No. 3/4. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2011.06740caa.003

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Professor Sir Maurice Wilkes

Article Type: Obituary From: Kybernetes, Volume 40, Issue 3/4

Professor Sir Maurice Wilkes, who led the Cambridge University team that built the world’s first operational stored-program computer, died on Monday 29 November 2010, aged 97. The computer, known as Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) contained 3,000 valves (vacuum tubes) arranged on 12 racks, with mercury-filled acoustic delay lines for storage. In 1958, it was replaced by EDSAC II, using magnetic storage. Wilkes remained at the forefront of computing technology and made several other breakthroughs in a distinguished career.

An obituary can be found at: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/technology-obituaries/8171435/Professor-Sir-Maurice-Wilkes.html

A.M. Andrew

Related articles