[SkyDancer]

Governments don’t like civilian hero’s. He was a great guy and made it possible for us to do what we’re doing right now, AlGore notwithstanding.

[GingisK]

It seems that John Von Newman had at least equal influence on digital computing as did Turing. Turing was a reader of Von Newman's work. Turing's work was focused on machine based encryption and decryption. The Turing machine is specialized, but WAY cool. It was so obviously conceived by genius. Turing/Von Newman dragged us rather suddenly into the digital age.

I was shocked to learn how early in the electronics age the terms "digital" and "analog" were applied. "Digital" was applied immediately to on/off signaling with the introduction of the telegraph. (A finger, or digit, was used to do the signaling; hence, digital.) When the telephone debuted Alexander Bell applied the term "analog" because the vibrations in the electric current are analogous to the vibrations in the air.

All of what we have today came about through geniuses in the mere span of about 200 years. The history of technology is fascinating. Kids of today missed those wonderful vacuum tubes, most not knowing they ever existed.