Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Herman Hollerith: Businessman and Father of Data Processing

Herman Hollerith, recognized as the trailblazer in modern machine data processing, designed an electromechanical tabulating apparatus that utilized punched cards to streamline tasks such as information summarization and accounting.

Hollerith's integrated system, consisting of a punch, tabulator, and sorter, expedited the official 1890 census count, completing it within a six-month timeframe. All census data was processed and finalized within an additional two years.

In 1896, Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company in New York to manufacture these devices. Subsequently, the company was acquired by the Computer Tabulating Recording Company in 1911, and it underwent a name change to the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in 1924. While Hollerith served as a consultant for the company for a period, he eventually withdrew into private life.
Herman Hollerith: Businessman and Father of Data Processing
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