Machine spindle and gutenberg printing press: what they have in common

1. Step 1. Machine spindle — is part of — Milling machine. It turns the cutter.
2. Step 2. Milling machine — evolved into — CNC machine. The first CNC machines were milling machines (MIT, 1952).
3. Step 3. CNC machine — uses — Program control of a machine. The tool’s movement is set by a program — at first on punched tape.
4. Step 4. Program control of a machine — is used in — Jacquard loom. The chain of cards is the program of the pattern.
5. Step 5. Jacquard loom — works like — Gutenberg printing press. An analogy, not proven influence: both set type and a chain of punched cards are a replaceable pattern that a machine reproduces over and over.

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