Computers were not always what we see today, as clearly illustrated in this photo of one of the very first early 1940s computer systems.
We hardly give computers a second thought in the 21st century. This little marvel is such an intricate part of our daily lives that we regard it as a necessity, instead of a luxury. We take computers for granted in our society. The consumer probably knows very little of the history behind this commonly used electronic gadget.
Who invented the first computer? A German named, Konrad Zuse, invented the first programmable binary computer (photo to left) in 1936 in his parents living room. Compared to computers today, the ENIAC pictured above was enormous, weighing 27 tons and taking up 680 square feet. That’s about half the size of a small house. The Atanasoff-Berry Computer known as the ABC was the first digital computer constructed in 1943-1946. The ABC was considerably smaller than the ENIAC, but still quite large. It was about the size of a desk.
Today’s computers can run a multitude of programs all at once, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, the first computer to physically store a program was an early British computer called EDSAC in 1949 and it ran the first graphical computer game. One can only image how basic these graphics must have been? Do you remember what it was like to play the Atari video game Pong, which came out in the 70s? I do and trust me it wasn’t spectacular by our standards. It was actually very slow and a bit frustrating.
The golden happy days, the 1950s brought more integration in the computer revolutions with components and new software languages allowing a computer user to use English-like words instead of numbers and magnetic tape for data storage. An interesting discovery while reading the history, I learned CBS News used the UNIVAC to predict the 1952 election between Eisenhower and Stevenson. While the poll strongly favored Stevenson as a landslide winner, the UNIVAC analysis of early returns concluded the victory would belong to Eisenhower. It’s funny Walter Cronkite and Charles Collingwood was unsure of the experiment’s validity and decided it was best to put off revealing UNIVAC’s forecast winner until very late. An example of mankind beaten by his own ingenious know-how, right?
The second and third generation computers introduced the first interactive minicomputer and artificial intelligence during the 1960s. Software programs were becoming more complex and intelligent. The era also important to computers from a pre-Internet standpoint. Ted Nelson attempted to develop a hypertext-handling system known as Xanadu, which didn’t get completed, but what we know as the World Wide Web (WWW) today owes much of its evolution to Nelson’s concepts. Another important innovation from the 60s was early supercomputers.
In 1975, the Altair 8800 was introduced as the first personal computer (PC). This hardly resembles what we think of computers is, is it?
IBM introduced the first laptop computer in 1975, the IBM 5100. Surprised? Get this, the IBM 5100 weighed 55 pounds. Let’s see you carry this onto your next flight, let alone pull it through the airport terminal. lol
The Apple I was the first known Apple computer designed by Steve Wozniak in 1976. In the early 80s, Apple became known as Macintosh computers and then by the late 90s, Macintosh shortened to Mac. Today, Apple’s computers are some of the coolest gadgets on the market with the slickest, smallest gizmos on the market with their MacBook Air, iPad, and iTouch. Portability in computing has become super portable! You can view Apple’s progression over the years by visiting Apple History.
Today, there are many PC compatibles – Compaq (now owned by HP), Dell, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Sony, and Toshiba to name just a few. The computing power people have at their fingertips would blow those prehistoric gigantic machines out of this world…maybe the universe. All the while, it takes up only a microscopic part of your desk, unlike those earlier computers.
Do you remember the scene in Blast From the Past, where Brendan Fraser’s character got all bug-eyed when he heard his new friend had a computer in his bedroom and how he wanted to see it? I can only imagine what the designers of the EDSAC would think if they were living today to see how much technology has evolved. I would think this would leave them in deep wonderment, as they might thoughtfully proclaim, “That’s very interesting.”
Discover more from Curious as a Cathy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Gosh, this cool post took me back to the 70’s when I worked in the data processing department of a manufacturing company.
The computer took up an entire room!
Thanks for a fascinating link this week.
A+
very interesting! I remember some very big computers at my mother’s work–probably late 60s/early70s. I also remember when computers used to make lots of mistakes (or so we blamed them!).
Thanks for stopping in during the Wed. Blog hop! Stop on back next Wednesday! I’m your newest follower! I can’t wait to hear more about The Talke of ole Green Eyes.
This was really interesting. Thank you! I remember playing pong on my Amiga in the 80s. I thought it was awesome, but I was just a kid then! BTW, that “laptop” photo is hilarious.
@3cb8a1c3697ed3eb23aa052d4e462b1f I’d love to visit Kennedy Space Center! Maybe, one day we can take a trip down there. That would be really super cool! I’d like to see the Space Shuttle launch, too. Thanks for leaving a comment!
@3267a54e509785b3254f62af9c8494e8 Way to go working blast from the past into your comment! Have you seen the movie? It’s hilarious! Technology is super amazing. The more advanced we get, the small less expensive our electronics are. lol Thanks for visiting!
You should see the monster at Kennedy Space Center. It looks like something from a “B” space movie. We have certainly come a long way with our technology.Thanks for the info!~Ames
What a blast from the past! I totally remember at my father’s office (way back when) one of those humongous computers — it took up a ton of space. Funny to think of how far it has come. Very interesting post!!
@5be76b68e80ee452724339c4040d9e8d I hope it was interesting in a good way. You have a nice weekend, too.
@carmenhenesy:disqus Oh definitely, big corporations have huge main frames systems which are networked to bunches of workstations, but they are smaller in comparsion to those dinosaurs. lol
Well, we have definitely come a long way, Cathy – though I am sure there are those huge computers some places!
Interesting “C” post. Enjoy your weekend.
we’re have come a long way. I would be amaze if I came from the past and sees a iMac.
great C post.
I’m with you, how did we ever live without these cool gadgets? I just love it!
So glad you enjoyed and came by for a visit!
I’m approaching 50 and feel that way. Can you imagine what it’s going to be like in another 10-20 years?
Those monsterous size beast was well before my time, but I did work with some mainframe systems when I was in college studying to be an Associate Programmer in the early 80s Those were big, but that was before all the cool technology of networking as we know it today. I’m not sure what the work place has now. I should’ve investigated that aspect. Thanks for visiting!
What an amazing picture, and story! I am dumbfounded by computers. I don’t know how I’d live without one. It’s a bit scary to think about the wild and crazy things that will show up 10 years from now. What a world…Lord!
Cathy, this is an excellent post! I always love reading the history behind things like computers.
My husband, as an accounting major, had to take a computer class when he was in college. (He’s 61 now.) Computers were big machines then, and they couldn’t do much.
It’s amazing how things have changed!
=)
The scary thing is that I remember when computers actually looked like that! Happy “C” day!
Amazing how computers have changed over the years!
Thanks for stopping by Love Living Simply. I’ll be back for a visit to your blog soon!
Blessings,
Catherine
Do you remember when video phones were so sci-fi? I remember the Jetson’s (cartoon) and I thought, that can never happen. But, look today? I mean, you have video phones, web cams, mobile video phones,…it’s just some kind of wonderful crazy technology we have today and I love it!
I know what you mean, how did we ever get by? I use the Internet for practically all of my research from purchasing vitamins to major appliances.
Isn’t it amazing? I think back as recent as the mid 80s of how much computers have changed and I’m in awe. You get more bang for the buck these days, don’t you?
This was quite a walk down memory lane! It’s hard to believe we ever lived without them,haha.