You might be surprised to know that the computer is one of the few inventions in the world that doesn’t have just one single inventor. Throughout history, many developers and inventors contributed to a long list of inventions that make computers what they are today.
In the beginning, as early as 1936, Konrad Zuse introduced the very first computer, and it was dubbed the Z1 computer. The Z1 was noted as the first computer because it was fully programmable. Other devices were developed prior to it, but none had the same computing power.
Six years later, in 1942, Clifford Berry and John Atanasoff invented ABC computers. Two years later in 1944, the two men developed the Mark I computer. Soon after, the transistor was introduced into the computer world in the 1950’s, and became an essential piece of the puzzle. The ENIAC 1 was a massive computer and required 20,000 vacuum tubes to make it work.
The age of computers was significantly altered when International Business Machines (or IBM) came into the picture in 1953. IBM’s first computer was called the IBM 701 EDPM (Electronic Data Processing Machine). Since then, IBM has been a major player in the development of computers, systems, and servers for public and private use.
In 1954, computer developers and programmers created the first programming language called FORTRAN. It was considered a high-level programming language because it wasn’t written in lower level languages like in binary or assembly. The introduction of FORTRAN and the first IBM computer gave rise to the first signs of competition among computer manufacturers. These companies began developing better and faster computers over a period of time.
Computers have come a long way since the 1930’s, and have been an integral part of business, education, and even entertainment. Nearly seven decades later, Bill Gate’s vision of a computer in every home has become more of a reality in the 2000’s.