M&D to 360 (spoilers)

[RICHARD ROMEO]

dave the quaking duck:
Vaucanson...devised various improvements to the machines for weaving and 
dressing the
silk, and suceeded in making the first fully automated loom (1745),
controlled through a system of perforated cards.  It was cumbersome and 
not
wholly reliable, however, and it was not until the turn of the century,
when it was further improved by Jacquard, that it came into widespread 
use.
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If I remember correctly, wasn't the technology devised for the 
development of the loom eventually used to develop the punch card system 
used to track immigrants entering Ellis Island, indirectly leading to the 
development of the modern computer?
Remember the _Connections_ TV show hosted by James Burke?  That's where I 
remember this "thread" from. (His co-authored book, _The Axemaker's Gift_ 
is in paperback--highly recommended)

Richard Romeo
Coordinator of Cooperating Collections
The Foundation Center-NYC
212-807-2417
rromeo at fdncenter.org