king maker

collaboration on world document

First-Laptop

first digital computer

                          Charles Shorb, an ISU graduate student, works on a nearly exact replica of the world's first electronic digital computer. (Photo by Gary Fandel, The Register)

                 Charles Shorb says getting a replica of the world's first electronic digital computer to work is a little like the time he rebuilt the engine of his 1980 Volkswagen Jetta. But at least there were directions for the Jetta.

             There are no similar instructions for assembling and tuning up the Atanasoff-Berry Computer. Shorb, fueled by Coca-Cola and Hostess Fruit Pies, has spent the last two months in the basement of Spedding Hall on the Iowa State University campus, sorting out a maze of wires, capacitors, resistors, vacuum tubes and rotating drums.

He's nearly finished the job.

"The logic runs, and we can demonstrate it and the memory works. . . . That proves the concept," said John Gustafson, who is overseeing Shorb's work. Gustafson is an ISU professor and researcher at the Ames Laboratory, a federal installation operated by the university.

The success so far is largely thanks to Shorb, Gustafson said. "Charles produces the work of three engineers."

                The pleasure's all his, said Shorb, who turns 27 this week. The ISU computer science graduate student told computer chip maker Intel it will have to wait until September for him to start his new job so he can spend the summer working out the computers kinks. If Intel hadn't delayed his start date, Shorb said, he would have turned down the job in a second. "How many times in my life am I going to be able to work on the first computer?" he asked. When the replica goes on display, "I'm going to be able to say I made that thing work."

What Shorb is fixing is a nearly exact replica of the computer built in the late 1930s by ISU mathematics professor John Vincent Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry. The complex, desk-sized machine was designed to solve 29 simultaneous equations with 29 unknowns, but in actual operation solved just five equations with five unknowns.

                 

------> Kutralam <-------

kutralam Main Falls

Main falls is one of the natural and spectacular waterfalls in the world . It is  well known for so many health reasons .  The water flowing in this Podhigai Hills flows through a lot of herbs which are very good for health . This falls is in good flow of water during the months of June to December . . .

Kutralam Specialities

Kutralam as a tourist spot has certain specialities .

1. THIRUNELVELI HALWA shops are available on the way to the main falls . The halwa supplied here is hot and fresh and it is a sweet delicacy as tourists can  never afford to  miss this . It is good to take this after taking bath .

2. MASALA PAAL ( MASALA MILK ). . .

THIRUNELVELI HALWA

 

MASALA PAAL

What to do in Kutralam

Kutralam may seem to be a small town . But there are so many activities that can be done here . The enjoyments will be maximum if you really are patient enough to put in your effort .

Major things that can be done are

1. BATHING -    can be done in various falls . The important falls . . .

When to go to Kutralam

Kutralam is a small town with a population of around 5000 people . Since this is  a falls town many tourists come here . But when to come here ? The season starts here when the south west monsoon sets over Kerala mostly on June 1st .  Kutralam falls in the rain shadow region of the . . .

Getting to Kutralam / How to Reach Courtallam

KUTRALAM is in south Tamilnadu

160 km south of Madurai

59 km tothe west of Tirunelveli

5 km from Shenkotah , a border town with Kearala

6 km from Tenkasi

Nearest airports -  Madurai 160 km

-  Tuticorin 120 km

-  Trivandrum 190 km

Train access          -  Tenkasi and Shenkotah

Through road        -  Well connected from Shenkotah

Tenkasi

Tirunelveli

-  Regularly buses are available particularly from . . .

Old Kutralam Falls / Old Courtallam Falls

OLD KUTRALAM FALLS

This is another falls in the falls town of Kutralam . The water quality in this falls is third compared with Main falls and Five falls . This falls is situated around 8 km away from the bus stand and easily reachable by car in 10 mins. During the months of May , . . .

More On Main Falls

The main falls as seen in this picture is the last falls in the ” chitraar ” river . The river is a small one with origin uphill flowing from the highs of the podigai hills . This river flows through ” Therkku malai Estate ” , HONEY FALLS and SHENBAGADEVI FALLS . .

 

 

Five Falls

FIVE FALLS IN FULL FLOW

The five falls is situated around 6 km away from the bus stand in the western side of the hills . This is yet another spectacular falls in the falls town of Kutralam . The quality of the water in this falls is very good and tasty although next to that . . .

 

Night View of Main Falls

MAIN FALLS SEEN AT NIGHT

The main falls in kutralam is a delight to watch during nights . Flood lights are seen in Main falls and Five falls helping the tourists to take bath at night also . Night bathing helpsyou to go to bed in peace and have a wonderful sleep . At nights the crowd . . .

 

Shenbagadevi Falls

SHENBAGADEVI FALLS IN FULL FLOW

The SHENBAGADEVI FALLS  is another falls in Kutralam in a natural environment . The falls is situated above Main falls in the CHITRAAR river line . It is around 2.5 km from the SITRARUVI FALLS . One has to trek thro the hils along the CHITRAAR river to reach the SHENBAGADEVI . . .