The automatic flute player, which was invented in the 9th century by theBanū Mūsā brothers inBaghdad, is the first known example of a programmable machine. The work of the Banu Musa was influenced by their Hellenistic forebears, but it also makes significant improvements over Greek creation.[1] The pinned-barrel mechanism, which allowed for programmable variations in the rhythm and melody of the music, was the key contribution given by the Banu Musa.[2]
The sequence ofpunched cards used by aJacquard loom to produce a given pattern within wovencloth. Invented in 1801, it used holes in punched cards to represent sewing loom arm movements in order to generate decorative patterns automatically.
Some programmable equipment and appliances only allow their users to select predefined options and/or set predefined parameters. The user is not required or allowed to write a computer program (textual, visual, or otherwise).
The "program" of aprogrammable thermostat consist of user-changeable parameters (mode, time, temperature) in the entries of a schedule.
The "program" or patch of a programmable musicsynthesizer adjusts parameters and switches that interconnect modules.
The "program" of many programmable integrated circuits is data that it permanently stores for retrieval (programmable ROM etc.), and/or govern operation (programmable logic device etc.).
When a programmable computer,programmable calculator, orprogrammable logic controllerexecutes a program, its processor follows the instructions or commands that the program contains. Each instruction produces effects that alter the state of the machine according to its predefined meaning.
