1950
Richard Hamming publishes error-correcting codes
Richard Hamming published error-detecting and error-correcting codes in 1950 — including the Hamming code used in memory and storage.
What it was for
Hamming codes let systems detect and fix single-bit errors — foundational for reliable RAMRandom access memory — fast volatile memory used while programs run., CDs, and telecommunications. The story goes Hamming invented them out of frustration when a computer dropped his weekend runs.
People
- Richard Hamming — researcher
Why it's here
Hamming codes are the entry point to error correction in computing curricula.
Why it mattered
They made unreliable hardware usable for critical computation.
What it solved
Early computers could not trust stored bits without detection and recovery.