The first computers appeared after the Second World War, when the discoveries of mathematicians and other scientists made it possible to implement a new way of reading information. And although today these machines seem outlandish artifacts, it was they who became the progenitors of modern PCs familiar to the average person.
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 was that it was completely electronic, and the program was stored in its RAM. This achievement of British specialists was a great leap forward in the centuries-old history of the development of computers. Manchester's “Mark I” included Williams tubes and magnetic drums, which served as a repository for information.
Today, after many years, the history of the creation of the first computer is causing debate. The question remains as to which particular machine can be called the first computer. Manchester's “Mark I” remains the most popular version, although there are other applicants. One of them is EDSAC. Without this machine, the history of the emergence of a computer as an invention would be completely different. If "Mark" appeared in Manchester, then EDSAC was created by the forces of scientists from Cambridge University. 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 intended for specific programs. The next step in the evolution of computers was the Z4. Last but not least, the device was distinguished by a dramatic creation story. The computer was created by German engineer Konrad Zuse. Work on the project began at the final stage of World War II. This circumstance greatly inhibited this development. Zuse’s laboratory was destroyed during an enemy air raid. Together with her, all the equipment and preliminary results of 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 became interested in the Swiss higher technical school. She bought a car. Z4 interested experts for a reason. The computer had universal programming, that is, it was the first multifunctional device of this type.
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. At the Kiev Institute of Electrical Engineering, MESM was created - a small electronic calculating machine. The project was worked on by a group of Soviet scientists, led by academician Sergei Lebedev.
The device of this machine included six thousand electric lamps. Great power allowed to take on tasks that were previously unprecedented for Soviet technology. In a second, the device could carry out about three thousand operations.
Commercial models
At the first stage of the development of computers, they were developed by specialists from universities or other government agencies. 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 yet another important milestone. LEO I was first used to process commercial data. Its design was similar to that of the ideological predecessor EDSAC.
The first American commercial computer was UNIVAC I. It appeared in the same 1951. A total of forty-six such 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 electric vacuum tubes. Mercury delay lines were used as the information carrier. On one of them could be stored up to a thousand words. During the development of UNIVAC I, it was decided to abandon punch cards and switch to metallized magnetic tape. With it, the device could connect to commercial storage systems.
"Arrow"
Meanwhile, Soviet electronic computers had a history of creation. The Strela computer, which appeared in 1953, was the first such serial device in the USSR. The novelty was produced on the basis of the Moscow factory of calculating and analytical machines. Over three years of production, eight samples were manufactured. These unique machines were 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 contained up to 200 thousand words. The developers of the device were awarded the Stalin Prize. The chief designer, Yuri Bazilevsky, also became a Hero of Socialist Labor.
The second generation of computers
Back in 1947, transistors were invented. At the end of the 50s. they replaced energy-consuming and fragile lamps. With the advent of transistors in computing, a new history began. 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 before computers occupied entire rooms, now they have decreased to the proportions of office desks. Such, for example, was the IBM 650 model. But even transistors did not solve another important problem. Computers were still extremely expensive, which is why they were only made to order for universities, large corporations, or governments.
Further evolution of computers
In 1959, integrated circuits were invented. They laid the foundation for the third generation of computers. 1960s became a turning point for computers. Their production and sales increased significantly. Thanks to the new details, the devices have become cheaper and more affordable, 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 . Based on it, fourth-generation computers appeared. Microprocesses resolved several important problems that were previously hidden in the device of any computer. One such detail performed all the logical and arithmetic operations that were recorded using machine code. Prior to this discovery, this function lay on many small elements. The emergence of a single universal detail was a precursor to the development of small home computers.
Personal computers
In 1977, Apple, founded by Steve Jobs, introduced the Apple II model to the world. Its fundamental difference from any other previous computers was that the device of a young California company was intended for sale to ordinary citizens. It was a breakthrough that until recently seemed simply unheard of. Thus began the story of creating 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 of the time.
Subsequent Apple models received a unique graphical interface, a familiar keyboard for modern users, and many other innovations. All the same, Steve Jobs barely made a computer mouse popular. In 1984, he presented his most successful Macintosh model, which laid the foundation for the whole line that exists today. Many discoveries of engineers and developers of Apple have become the basis for today's personal computers, created including other manufacturers.
Domestic developments
Due to the fact that all the 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 success. 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 “Snow” and “Spring” appeared. In the 1970s in the defense industry, Elbrus computers began to be used. They were used in missile defense systems and nuclear centers.