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computer science

SMIL (computer)

SMIL (computer) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SMIL (computer) rather than just read about it. In short: SMIL (Swedish: Siffermaskinen i Lund, "The Number Machine in Lund") was a first-generation computer built at Lund University in Lund, Sweden. SMIL was based on the IAS architecture developed by John von Neumann.

SMIL (computer) — main illustration
SMIL (computer) — illustration

Key takeaways

  • SMIL (computer) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect SMIL (computer) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of SMIL (computer) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

SMIL (Swedish: Siffermaskinen i Lund, "The Number Machine in Lund") was a first-generation computer built at Lund University in Lund, Sweden. SMIL was based on the IAS architecture developed by John von Neumann. Carl-Erik Fröberg belonged to the group of five young Swedish scientists that IVA sent to the U.S. in 1947–48 to gather information about the early computer development. They then came to strongly influence the development in Sweden. Fröberg visited with Erik Stemme the Institute for Advanced Study, and John von Neumann's research group. Back in Lund, he played a leading role in the creation of SMIL, which was the first computer developed in Lund and among the first in Sweden. SMIL was introduced in 1956 and then was in operation until 1970. In February 1962 SMIL was fitted with a compiler for ALGOL 60. The compiler was constructed by Torgil Ekman and Leif Robertson. Carl-Erik Fröberg was also behind the early emergence of numerical analysis as a separate university subject. In this context, he wrote himself and collaborated with others on several textbooks in computer education, for example, Textbook on Numerical Analysis (1962) and Textbook of Algol (1964). These books were widely distributed and translated into several languages. Parts of SMIL are exhibited at Malmö Technical Museum. On January 4, 2006, an emulator of SMIL named SMILemu was released with a Java and Mac OS X version.

See also BARK - Binär Aritmetisk Relä-Kalkylator - Sweden's first computer BESK - Binär Elektronisk Sekvens-Kalkylator - Sweden's second computer Torsten Hägerstrand – a Swedish geographer (and friend of Fröberg) who used SMIL

References

Illustrations

SMIL (computer): Manoeuver panel to the Swedish SMIL computer, now at the "Teknikens och sjöfartens hus" in Malmö, Sweden (2022)
Manoeuver panel to the Swedish SMIL computer, now at the "Teknikens och sjöfartens hus" in Malmö, Sweden (2022)
SMIL (computer): Carousel memory for SMIL, now at the "Teknikens och sjöfartens hus" in Malmö, Sweden (2013)
Carousel memory for SMIL, now at the "Teknikens och sjöfartens hus" in Malmö, Sweden (2013)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SMIL (computer)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SMIL (computer) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SMIL (computer) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SMIL (computer) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SMIL (computer)

In research
SMIL (computer) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses SMIL (computer) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
SMIL (computer) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1956, Computer hardware stubs, IAS architecture computers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for SMIL (computer) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SMIL (computer) in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what SMIL (computer) means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain SMIL (computer) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SMIL (computer) in simple terms?

SMIL (Swedish: Siffermaskinen i Lund, "The Number Machine in Lund") was a first-generation computer built at Lund University in Lund, Sweden. SMIL was based on the IAS architecture developed by John von Neumann.

Why does SMIL (computer) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SMIL (computer)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SMIL (computer).

Tags

  • Computer-related introductions in 1956
  • Computer hardware stubs
  • IAS architecture computers
  • Lund University

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