When Was the First Computer Invented?

Many archaeologists would say that the Incas and Mayans invented the first computers. They were certainly not the electronic type of computers that are common in today’s society. Most of us today think of computers as complex electronic machines that are able to carry out complicated mathematical or clerical tasks. These powerful electronic computers have come into being rather recently, in the historical sense..

The Chinese devised the abacus, an early form of the mechanical computer, in the year 700 to simplify and speed up the addition and subtraction of numbers. Later, in Europe, a number of mechanical inventions to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division came into existence during the 1600s. These “computers” aided in the calculation of the taxes due by the populace.

Modern Computers

The very first types of computers were used to help carry out mathematical calculations. The development and advancements made to computers were a direct byproduct of WWII.The need for substantial computing power can be seen in two primary areas. The first was in breaking the ENIGMA code of the Germans. The second was in carrying out other wartime calculations, whether they were the trajectory of artillery shells or helping in the development of the H-bomb.

The First Computer

The very first programmable electronic computer was the ENIAC.The construction of the ENIAC was completed in 1946. It weighed 30 tons and was composed of 19,000 vacuum tubes. The ABC computer was developed prior to the ENIAC but suffered from the problems:

• It couldn’t be programmed.
• Its construction was delayed by the inventor’s service in the navy during the war.
• It was never fully functional.

While the ENIAC and the ABC were the first digital computers developed, the next leap forward in technology and major computer advancements did not occur until the invention of the transistor.

The Transistor

The transistor revolutionized the electronics industry. The transistor aided in the miniaturization of electronic products. In 1956, the first transistorized computer was exhibited at the Massachusetts’s Institute of Technology (MIT).While  early computers occupied copious amounts of space, the Digital Equipment Corporation developed the first minicomputer in 1960. It was the PDP-1. This series of computers were standard workhorses of the computer industry for the next 15 years.

The transistor has been the biggest single invention to make an impact on the size and power of a computer. The first transistors began in 1956 but today there are over 1 billion transistors that are incorporated on a single chip in the processor of the newest personal computers. They allow calculations and multimedia applications to operate far beyond what was conceivable back in the 1960s. All that power now fits into a small briefcase and in some cases even inside a cell phone.

Early Xerox Computers

Xerox released the first workstation, equipped with a keyboard, mouse and display in 1974. The personal computer made its appearance on the world market in 1975 at a cost of about $1750.

The input and output on this model was accomplished by the use of a series of lights to communicate with the user. The industry had aimed to create a personal computer that would be useful for both business and personal entertainment. The first IBM compatible computer was released in 1981 and was followed by the first clone in 1983 by Compaq.

Compared to what we commonly think about when someone talks about computers, the modern computer didn’t show up until the 1980s. However, even though it wasn’t as flashy and powerful, the first electronic computer was invented in 1946.