>Also let's not forget the situations where a term may change meaning over time -- e,g. What computers at JPL looked like mid-20th century (
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/explorer/computers.html )
>To avoid potential confusion we might might have to say "electronic digital computer"
That's an easy one. Being stubborn, I use the German term
Rechner, the direct translation. The word is male - so it it could not be a computer in the pre electronic sense. BTW those computers where used much earlier by astronomers. Normally stored in the attic. So NASA was just using an established tradition - and work force.
Also those computers are to be distinguished from "electronic analogue computer" as well.
(Never mind. My spell checker is set to British English)
Words are given to man to enable him to conceal his true feelings.
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Weeks of programming can save you hours of planning.
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