The first computers appeared after the Second World War, when the discoveries of mathematicians and other scientists made it possible to realize a new way of reading information. And although today these machines seem outlandish artifacts, they became the progenitors of modern PCs familiar to the layman.
Manchester "Mark I" and EDSAC
The first computer in the modern sense of the word was the device "Mark I", created in 1949. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that it was completely electronic, and the program was stored in its RAM. This achievement of British specialists was a big leap forward in the centuries-old history of the development of computers. The Manchester "Mark I" included Williams pipes and magnetic drums, which served as a repository for information.
Today, after many years, the history of the creation of the first computer is controversial. The question of which machine can be called the first computer remains controversial. The Manchester Mark I remains the most popular version, although there are other contenders. One of them is EDSAC. Without this machine, the history of the computer as an inventionwould be completely different. If "Mark" appeared in Manchester, then EDSAC was created by scientists from the University of Cambridge. This computer was put into operation in May 1949. Then the first program was executed on it, which squared the numbers from 0 to 99.
Z4
Manchester Mark I and EDSAC were for specific programs. The next step in the evolution of computing machines was the Z4. Last but not least, the device was distinguished by a dramatic history of creation. The computer was created by the German engineer Konrad Zuse. Work on the project began at the final stage of World War II. This circumstance greatly slowed down this development. Zuse's laboratory was destroyed during an enemy air raid. Together with her, all the equipment and preliminary results of a long work were lost.
Nevertheless, the talented engineer did not give up. Production was continued after the onset of peace. In 1950, the project was finally completed. The history of its creation turned out to be long and thorny. The computer immediately interested the Swiss Higher Technical School. She bought the car. Z4 interested specialists for a reason. The computer had universal programming, that is, it was the first multifunctional device of its kind.
The emergence of Soviet electronic computers
In the same 1950, the history of the creation of computers in the USSR was marked by an equally important event. MESM, a small electronic calculating machine, was created at the Kiev Institute of Electrical Engineering. A group of Soviet scientists worked on the project, led by academician Sergei Lebedev.
The device of this machine included six thousand electric lamps. Great power allowed to take on tasks that had previously been unprecedented for Soviet technology. In a second, the device could perform about three thousand operations.
Commercial Models
At the first stage of the development of computers, specialists from universities or other government agencies were involved in their development. In 1951, the LEO I model appeared, created thanks to the investments of the British private company Lyons and Company, which owned restaurants and shops. With the advent of this device, the history of the creation of computers has reached another important milestone. LEO I was first used for commercial data processing. Its design was similar to that of its ideological predecessor EDSAC.
The UNIVAC I was the first American commercial computer. It appeared in the same 1951. In total, forty-six of these models were sold, each of which cost a million dollars. One of them was used in the US census. The device consisted of more than five thousand vacuum tubes. Mercury delay lines were used as the information carrier. One of them could store up to a thousand words. When developing UNIVAC I, it was decided to abandon punched cards and switch to a metallized magnetic tape. With its help, the device could connect to commercialstorage systems.
Arrow
Meanwhile, Soviet electronic computers had their own history of creation. The Strela computer, which appeared in 1953, became the first such serial device in the USSR. The novelty was produced on the basis of the Moscow plant of calculating and analytical machines. During the three years of production, eight samples were made. These unique machines have been installed at the Academy of Sciences, Moscow State University and design bureaus located in closed cities.
"Arrow" could perform 2-3 thousand operations per second. For domestic technology, these were record numbers. The data was stored on magnetic tape, which could hold up to 200,000 words. The developers of the device were awarded the Stalin Prize. Chief designer Yuri Bazilevsky also became a Hero of Socialist Labor.
Second generation of computers
As early as 1947, transistors were invented. At the end of the 50s. they replaced energy-consuming and fragile lamps. With the advent of transistors, computers began a new history of creation. Computers that received these new parts were later recognized as second generation models. The main innovation was that printed circuit boards and transistors made it possible to significantly reduce the size of computers, which made them much more practical and convenient.
If earlier computers occupied entire rooms, now they have shrunk to the proportions of office tables. Such, for example, was the IBM 650 model. But even transistorsdid not solve another important problem. Computers were still extremely expensive, which meant they were only made to order for universities, large corporations, or governments.
The further evolution of computers
In 1959, integrated circuits were invented. They marked the beginning of the third generation of computers. 1960s became a turning point for computers. Their production and sales have increased exponentially. New details made devices cheaper and more accessible, although they were still not personal. Basically, these computers were bought by companies.
In 1971, Intel developers launched the first-ever Intel 4004 microprocessor on the market. Fourth-generation computers appeared on its basis. Microprocesses solved several important problems that had previously been hidden in the design of any computer. One such part performed all the logical and arithmetic operations that were written using machine code. Prior to this discovery, this function lay on many small elements. The appearance of a single universal part heralded the development of small home computers.
Personal computers
In 1977, Apple, founded by Steve Jobs, introduced the Apple II to the world. Its fundamental difference from any other previous computers was that the device of a young Californian company was intended for sale to ordinary citizens. It was a breakthrough, which is still quiterecently seemed simply unheard of. Thus began the history of the creation of personal computers of the computer generation. The novelty was in demand until the 90s. During this period, about seven million devices were sold, which was an absolute record for that time.
Subsequent Apple models received a unique graphical interface, a keyboard familiar to modern users and many other innovations. All the same Steve Jobs slightly made the computer mouse popular. In 1984, he introduced his most successful Macintosh model, which marked the beginning of a whole line that still exists today. Many of the discoveries of Apple engineers and developers have become the basis for today's personal computers, including those created by other manufacturers.
Domestic developments
Due to the fact that all revolutionary discoveries related to computers took place in the West, the history of the creation of computers in Russia and the USSR remained in the shadow of foreign successes. This was also due to the fact that the development of such machines was controlled by the state, while in Europe and the USA the initiative gradually passed into the hands of private companies.
In 1964, the first Soviet semiconductor computers "Sneg" and "Spring" appeared. In the 1970s Elbrus computers began to be used in the defense industry. They were used in the missile defense system and nuclear centers.
