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| Thread ID: 73558 | 2006-10-24 21:46:00 | first ever computer | newb. (10067) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 493737 | 2006-10-24 23:14:00 | the personal computer. or anything really that uses a computer; computer being something that processes and stores information. Steve Wozniack invented the first "personal" computer. There were mainframes and such around but as a small home use PC with a screen and keyboard - he was first. There was a enthusiast group called the Homebrew club were people played around with "compuyters" that were basically little boxes with switches and falshing lights that gave the result of your calculation. He came up with a screens, keyboards and stuff so you could use them easier. Google it. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 493738 | 2006-10-24 23:21:00 | The ENIAC was the first electronic computer but without a stored program, "programming ENIAC was a one-way ticket to the madhouse." It was finished in 1945, and delivered in 1946. The builders (and the restorers) of Colossus would disagree with you there. There was more to Colossus than code comparison, though how much more you need I don't know, it did the job. Having read the ENIAC story in "From Bits to Bytes" by Herman Lukoff who worked on the design and construction team, in its earliest iterations it was no different to Colossus, except it happened several years later. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 493739 | 2006-10-25 02:47:00 | This gentleman here www.thocp.net is widely regarded as having built the first computer. Well, since the Analytical Engine's not built (finished) yet, it may have trouble establishing a build date. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 493740 | 2006-10-25 04:46:00 | The builders (and the restorers) of Colossus would disagree with you there . There was more to Colossus than code comparison, though how much more you need I don't know, it did the job . Interesting reading from . codesandciphers . org . uk/lorenz/rebuild . htm" target="_blank">www . codesandciphers . org . uk The performance of Colossus Colossus is not a stored-programme computer . It is hard-wired and switch-programmed, just like ENIAC . Because of its parallel nature it is very fast, even by today's standards . . . . This avoids any synchronisation problems: whatever the speed of the tape, that's the speed of Colossus . . . . Colossus will do up to 100 Boolean calculations simultaneously on each of the five tape channels and across a five character matrix . . . . Colossus is so fast and parallel that a modern PC programmed to do the same code-breaking task takes as long as Colossus to achieve a result! |
Strommer (42) | ||
| 493741 | 2006-10-25 20:34:00 | For a really good read on the work that went into Colossus and other intelligence work during the 39-45 war try MOST SECRET WAR by R.V. Jones. This was a best seller in its day. I have read it about 4 times - and now having mentioned it again have just got it down from my book shelf and am going to read it again! Tom |
Thomas01 (317) | ||
| 493742 | 2006-10-26 01:16:00 | Interesting reading from www.codesandciphers.org.uk The performance of Colossus Colossus is not a stored-programme computer. It is hard-wired and switch-programmed, just like ENIAC. Because of its parallel nature it is very fast, even by today's standards. ... This avoids any synchronisation problems: whatever the speed of the tape, that's the speed of Colossus. ... Colossus will do up to 100 Boolean calculations simultaneously on each of the five tape channels and across a five character matrix. ... Colossus is so fast and parallel that a modern PC programmed to do the same code-breaking task takes as long as Colossus to achieve a result! If the rebuild had involved a casemod to a BRIGHT red box, with extra LED enhanced fans, just imagine how fast it would be now. :nerd: |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 493743 | 2006-10-26 01:35:00 | MOST SECRET WAR by R . V . Jones . This was a best seller in its day . Tom I agree, I've read it several times myself and apart from the fact that Jones was a typical pompous upper crust pommie twit, and it shows through in his writing, (gracious and humble he ain't) he and the team did brilliant work and the story is truly gripping . My copy was packed away during renovations some years ago and I have been looking for it ever since . Cheers Billy 8-{) :thumbs: |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 493744 | 2006-10-26 01:41:00 | My copy was packed away during renovations some years ago and I have been looking for it ever since. Cheers Billy 8-{) :thumbs: Time for a defrag ? ? Virtual cupboards are cool :D :D Until you try putting real stuff in 'em. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 493745 | 2006-10-26 03:23:00 | Zuse has been sadly neglected . He had built working computers before WW2 . Steve Wozniak built a home computer, and the Apple company grew from that . He wasn't the first to do that . You could say that the first "personal computer" was the DEC PDP8 . It was commonly "single user", and it was the first computer to sell for less than $10000 . That was in 1964 . :D |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 493746 | 2006-10-26 08:26:00 | The computer was not named after electronics deviced are installed. The first computer I know is a Chinese Abacus, all computers are calculators in the olden days until after a certain century, the computers can store data and play games. | PedalSlammer (8511) | ||
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