雙語暢銷書《艾倫圖靈傳》第8章:水銀延時線(42)

Now Womersley infiltrated a new concept into the discussion, one which had played no role in the Turing report. It was that of a pilot machine.

然後，沃默斯利引入了一個新概念，這在圖靈的報告中完全沒有提到——原型機。

There was next some discussion as to the possible cost of the machine and Mr Womersley said that a pilot set-up could possibly be built for approximately 10000 pounds, and it was generally agreed that no close estimate of the overall cost of the full machine could be made at this stage.

接下來的討論，是關於該機器的成本預算。沃默斯利先生指出，建造一套ACE的原型機，可能需要大約10, 000英鎊。一項共識是，現階段還無法準確估計完整的ACE所需的成本。

Not much notice was taken of Alan's estimate of capital cost. Womersley had said it should be multiplied by a factor of four or five.

圖靈在報告中所做的預算，沒有得到太多的關注，沃默斯利認爲，這個數字很可能會膨脹到4倍或5倍。

In fact they were probably annoyed that he had trespassed across the demarcation line into the administrative province; the more so as he wrote as though he could shop around for the equipment himself.

實際上，他們可能是因爲圖靈插手行政事務而感到不滿，他寫了這些關於經費的問題，就好像他自己能作主似的。

Recommendations were passed on, notably that of the Ministry of Supply which handled all military contracts.

這時，會議桌上開始傳遞一封推薦信，這封信來自軍需部，他們掌握着所有的軍方合同。

Then the committee resolved unanimously to support with enthusiasm the proposal that Mathematics Division should undertake the development and construction of an automatic computing engine of the type proposed by Dr A.M. Turing, and Director agreed to discuss the financial and other aspects of the matter with Headquarters.

接下來：委員會一致決議，大力支持數學部承擔該項目，開發圖靈博士提出的自動計算引擎，主任同意與上級部門共同協商經費及其它方面的事宜。

Alan Turing held a great and burning dislike for committee meetings such as this, resenting the fact that the decisions were made not because of a clear understanding of his ideas, but for political and administrative reasons.

圖靈對於這次委員會議抱有強烈的憤怒和不滿，因爲他們所做的決定，並不是出於與他的學術思想的共鳴，而是出於政治和統治的需要，圖靈對此感到十分厭惡。

The report he had submitted was, in fact, largely irrelevant, and played the role of pleasing Humpty Dumpty by having something down on paper, no matter what it was.

在他提交的報告中，不得不有一大部分內容是扯淡，說一些沒意義的話，只是爲了取悅那些"矮胖子"。

But Sir Charles Darwin did take swift action.

不過，達爾文的動作很迅速。

Indeed already, on 22 February, he had written8 to the Post Office about this 'electronic mathematical machine of a novel type, which should be immensely superior in every way to anything hitherto constructed anywhere'.

早在2月22日，他就寫了一封信給郵政實驗室，他在信中說："這是全新的電子數學機器，迄今爲止，全世界任何一臺機器都不能與它媲美。