Developed the concept of microprogramming and built the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), a pioneering computer that could store and execute programs. This innovation enabled the creation of modern computers.
Sir Maurice Vincent Wilkes is renowned for designing and building the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), one of the earliest stored-program computers. This groundbreaking innovation revolutionized the computing landscape, earning Wilkes a permanent place in the annals of computer science history.
Wilkes was born on June 26, 1913, in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, to Ellen Helen and Vincent Joseph Wilkes. He grew up in Stourbridge, West Midlands, and developed an interest in amateur radio during his school years at King Edward VI College, Stourbridge. Wilkes later pursued the Mathematical Tripos at St John's College, Cambridge, from 1931 to 1934, and completed his PhD in physics in 1936.
During World War II, Wilkes was involved in military service, working on radar at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) and in operational research. In 1945, he was appointed as the second director of the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory, later known as the Computer Laboratory. This marked the beginning of his influential work in computing.
Wilkes is credited with inventing microprogramming, a method for using stored-program logic to operate the control unit of a central processing unit's circuits. His work on EDSAC, which used microprogramming to execute instructions, made it one of the first practical stored-program computers. EDSAC's design and construction were completed in 1949, and it was officially inaugurated in 1950.
Sir Maurice Wilkes' contributions to computer science have had a profound impact on the development of modern computing. His work on EDSAC and microprogramming paved the way for the creation of more powerful and efficient computers. As an Emeritus Professor at the University of Cambridge, Wilkes continued to inspire and influence generations of computer scientists until his passing on November 29, 2010.
"The stored-program concept was the crucial step in the development of the modern computer."
"I think the best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas."
Sir Maurice Vincent Wilkes' remarkable life and achievements continue to inspire computer scientists, engineers, and innovators around the world. His pioneering work in stored-program computing has left an indelible mark on the history of computer science.
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