Ref: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

AT THE age of six, John von Neumann could multiply eight-digit numbers
in his head and converse in Greek with his father. A child prodigy who
could solve almost any mathematical problem, he had a quick mind and a
near photographic memory, for which he was famous throughout his life.
Indeed, he later went on to design the fastest thinking machine of his
age: the world's first stored-program electronic digital computer.

See: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 03:34:49 GMT, Sam Wormley
wrote:

Ref: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

AT THE age of six, John von Neumann could multiply eight-digit numbers

Indeed, he later went on to design the fastest thinking machine of his
age: the world's first stored-program electronic digital computer.

I highly recommend reading Eniac by Scott McCartney ISBN 0-425-17644-4
before accepting this statement. To say von Neumann designed the
Eniac is like saying that Issac Newton designed the solar system.
Most of von Neumann's credit derives from his authorship of the report
*First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC* which conveniently omitted
Eckert and Mauchly even from credit much less as co-authors.

Even the innovation of the stored-program concept which led to the
rest of us calling it von Neumann programming was described in a three
page memorandum by Eckert and signed by Mauchly in February 1944,
preceeding von Neumann's report by more than a year (June 1945.)



John Bailey
http://home.rochester.rr.com/jbxroads/mailto.html

In article , says...

Ref: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

AT THE age of six, John von Neumann could multiply eight-digit numbers
in his head and converse in Greek with his father. A child prodigy who
could solve almost any mathematical problem, he had a quick mind and a
near photographic memory, for which he was famous throughout his life.
Indeed, he later went on to design the fastest thinking machine of his
age: the world's first stored-program electronic digital computer.

See: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7


Can you imagine, making a conscious decision, to create self
replicating nano bots, and setting them loose on the universe?

"Oh but they are benign" says Kaku. And if someone changes
one, and installs a laser, what then?

If one lands on a small inhabited planet or 60 million of them
and changes the development of those 60 million planets
what then?

Does this fellow actually think he owns the universe or that
God would not make him go and clean up every last one,
even if it took him an eternity?

Did Von Neumann never watch Star Trek? Someday, his head
will no doubt be in a glass jar, attached to a machine,
like the ones you see on cartoons no doubt being wheeled
around complaining and scheming of newer and better
ways to cause incredible destruction and create havoc
in the universe. I would say of all people, he would be my
candidate, to test the tactical nuclear supository.

Sam Wormley wrote in message ...
Ref: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

AT THE age of six, John von Neumann could multiply eight-digit numbers
in his head and converse in Greek with his father. A child prodigy who
could solve almost any mathematical problem, he had a quick mind and a
near photographic memory, for which he was famous throughout his life.
Indeed, he later went on to design the fastest thinking machine of his
age: the world's first stored-program electronic digital computer.

See: http://physicsweb.org/article/world/16/12/7

von Neumann anecdote:

Von Nuemann, his wife and their child had been living in their
house for ten years or more. One day the child had a minor emergency,
which Mrs. Neumann attended to quickly. She asked John to please hurry
and fetch a glass of water. He promptly left the room, but took quite
some time to return, and when he did he asked rather bewildered,
"Excuse me, but where do we keep the drinking glasses?"

-Mark Martin