Page "Whirlwind (computer)" Paragraph 7

Until this point, all computers constructed were dedicated to single tasks, run in batch mode.

A series of inputs were set up in advance and fed into the computer, which would work out the answers and print them.

This was not appropriate for the Whirlwind system, which needed to operate continually on an ever-changing series of inputs.

Speed became a major issue, whereas with other systems it simply meant waiting longer for the printout, with Whirlwind it meant seriously limiting the amount of complexity the simulation could include.