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Heinz Zemanek Passes At 94

Posted by samzenpus on from the fare-thee-well dept.

Knuckles writes Austrian computer pioneer Heinz Zemanek, the first person to build a fully transistorized computer on the European mainland, died in Vienna, aged 94 (link in German). Officially named Binär dezimaler Volltransistor-Rechenautomat (binary-decimal fully transistorized computing automaton), but known as "Mailüfterl", the computer was built in 1955 and in 1958 calculated 5073548261 to be a prime number in 66 minutes. Its power was comparable to a small tube computer of the time, and it measured 4 by 2.5 by 0.5 meters. "Mailüfterl" means "may breeze" in Viennese German and was a play on US computers of the time, like MIT's Whirlwind. 'Even if it cannot match the rapid calculation speed of American models called "Whirlwind" or "Typhoon", it will be enough for a "Wiener Mailüfterl"' (Viennese may breeze), said Zemanek. Mailüfterl contained 3,000 transistors, 5,000 diodes, 1,000 assembly platelets, 100,000 solder joints, 15,000 resistors, 5,000 capacitors and 20,000 meters switching wire. It was built as an underground project at and without financial support from the technical university of Vienna, were Zemanek was an assistant professor at the time. In 1961, Zemanek and his team moved to IBM, who built them their own lab in Vienna. In 1976, Zemanek became an IBM Fellow and stayed at IBM until his retirement in 1985. He was crucial in the creation of the formal definition of the programming language PL/I. The definition language used was VDL (Vienna Definition Language), a direct predecessor of VDM Specification Language (VDM-SL). He remained a professor in Vienna and held regular lectures until 2006.

30 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. It's "May breeze," not "may breeze" by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Mailüfterl" means "may breeze"

    No it doesn't - it means "May breeze," as in the month, not as in the possibility.

    Viennese may breeze

    Are people from Vienna particular aloof?

    A German wouldn't have made this mistake!

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    1. Re:It's "May breeze," not "may breeze" by Blaskowicz · · Score: 3, Interesting

      A French would possibly have got it right but still written in that wrong and confusing way. We don't capitalize month names. Now I know why it's done in English.

    2. Re:It's "May breeze," not "may breeze" by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      A German wouldn't have made this mistake!

      ...and lived.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:It's "May breeze," not "may breeze" by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Proper capitalization is important. Else people might look funny at you if you say "I had to help my uncle Jack off his horse".

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    4. Re:It's "May breeze," not "may breeze" by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Not a German but maybe an Austrian ;) Sorry for the typo, you may have noticed that I tried to take quite some care with TFA, it slipped through.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  2. Re:Heinz der man! by jean-guy69 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Veuillez poster en anglais, s'il vous plait.

  3. Re:America invented computers! by mailuefterl · · Score: 2

    Depends on how you define computer!
    Just look up Charles Babbage or Konrad Zuse.

  4. "Passed" by waimate · · Score: 1

    Passed what? A kidney stone? Another car?

    Oh, you mean "died". I get it now.

    1. Re:"Passed" by jandersen · · Score: 1

      Passed what? A kidney stone? Another car?

      I think the clue is in the name: Mailüfterl: May breeze.

    2. Re:"Passed" by rossdee · · Score: 1

      "he passed someone on the interstate at 94 mph."

      Thats called tthe autobahn over there, and at 150km/hr everyone else passes YOU

    3. Re:"Passed" by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      After gettin the flack for the may/May typo already, the headline was edited by the editor and was not my fault. Mine had sucked as well though

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  5. Re:Heinz der man! by Thanshin · · Score: 1

    Not sure if if whoosh or troll.

  6. Farewell by SolennJames · · Score: 1

    Requiescat in pace.

  7. Re:America invented computers! by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    +1 for Konrad Zuse and his work on a high-level programming language and the design ability to read instructions from used perforated 35 mm film.
    Konrad Zuse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K...

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  8. Best Computer name ever by Qbertino · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I've never heard of this guy, but calling your Computer "Mailüfterl" in contrast to other ones named "Wirlwind" definitely gives him instant credit with me. Must have been a fun guy to be lectured by. ... Seriously, this may actually be the very first non-gigantomaniac humourous computer name in history.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
    1. Re:Best Computer name ever by mailuefterl · · Score: 2

      Actually his lectures at the Vienna Univiersity of technology are legendary.
      Mailüfterl versus Whirlwind is a very austrian thing.

    2. Re:Best Computer name ever by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      A few years later you had the Programma 101 also known as Perottina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    3. Re:Best Computer name ever by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Now I envy your nick. And yeah, so Austrian it makes me a little homesick.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  9. Father of Computer Puns? by tgeek · · Score: 1

    Maybe that's his greatest contribution. Possibly he's what inspired the Unix name to be a play on Multics, C to be a play on BPL, and the literally uncountable other successor puns (in the *nix-verse alone!)?

    1. Re:Father of Computer Puns? by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Interesting, thanks. I would guess that it's a nerd thing and probably there were earlier cases, but now I am intrigued.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  10. Someone tell him to slow down! by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

    Heinz Zemanek Passes At 94

    Do they Autobahns in Austria, then? Cos over here that kind of thing will get you a ticket.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    1. Re:Someone tell him to slow down! by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Bah. Do they have Autobahns, etc.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:Someone tell him to slow down! by pjt33 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Austria is metric, so it's only 60mph.

    3. Re:Someone tell him to slow down! by mailuefterl · · Score: 1

      At 94 km/h you are considered a traffic obstacle on an austrian Autobahn.
      At 94mp/h you are considered a rowdy and a madman ;-)

    4. Re:Someone tell him to slow down! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Certainly not in Austria. It ain't as crazy as in Germany, but the Austrian drivers are not that much less speedy, despite suffering from a speed limit of just 130km/h on highways.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    5. Re:Someone tell him to slow down! by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Yes they do, but the headline was rewritten by the /. editor, it was not mine. I do think he improved on mine though.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  11. RIP by wisnoskij · · Score: 1

    Your condiments will be missed.

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  12. Typical German speaker by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

    Why use three syllables when 35 will do.

    1. Re:Typical German speaker by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      WTF are you rambling about?

      Mai-lüf-terl. Exactly three syllables...

      Maybe he referred to the official "Binär dezimaler Volltransistor-Rechenautomat" which does sound as if Hitler had moved to a career in CS

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  13. Re:Sauce? Beans? by h5inz · · Score: 1

    Ketchup, you insensitive clod!