The invention of the computer cannot be attributed to one person. The abacus, mechanical calculators, and analytical engines were important precursors. The development of electricity led to programmable calculators and the stored-program architecture. Many developers contributed to the creation of various types of computers, including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak. The article acknowledges that there are many thinkers and inventors who helped develop the computer.
The question of who invented the computer cannot be answered with just one name. Throughout history, many different people have created devices that have helped lead to the development of this invaluable machine. These go back a long way and many date the first major invention to the 4th century BC when the Babylonians developed the abacus.
Other important concepts that would help lead to computers occurred centuries ago and include the adoption of Arabic numerals and the concept of zero and, in the 17th century, the development of the first mechanical calculators by Wilhelm Schickard and Blaise Pascal. Another milestone along the way were the plans created by Charles Babbage in the early 19th century to create a steam-powered “difference machine”. While never successfully built, the intent of the device was to calculate astronomical tables. Babbage then turned to the idea of creating an analytical engine, which would be designed to solve all math problems.
Babbage’s ideas led to the writings of Augusta Ada Byron on the Analytical Engine. He clearly outlined some of the ways modern computers work and discussed the concepts of data analysis and memory, among other things. Another key thinker who must be credited is George Boole who was responsible for Boolean algebra. The work of Babbage, Pascal, Boole and Bryon is remarkable and far predates the ability to build machines with electronic components capable of storing memory.
The development and common use of electricity led to many computer precursors in the 1940s. These include Konrad Zuse’s programmable calculator and the invention of the transistor by Bell Telephone. Some early models, such as the Colossus, built in 1943, are huge machines that were used to crack codes. Several other developments in the second half of the 20th century include the invention of the semiconductor and the integrated circuit.
Machines developed in the early 20th century had limited programmability or could not be programmed. However, the creation of what is called the stored-program architecture, a concept elucidated by John von Neumann, changed the way computers can store memory. Von Neumann’s ideas still influence the operations of modern machines.
The first computer capable of storing programs could be said to have been the 1949 Automatic Electronic Storage Delay Calculator, or EDSAC, assembled by Maurice Wilkes, although this is a debatable issue. From this point forward, many developers have contributed to the creation of various types of computers. Notable milestones include founding companies such as Xerox, Intel and Fairfield in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In the early 1970s several recognizable names come into play, including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. These skilled inventors did a lot to develop personal computers in the form of PC and Apple. In the 1990s, PC ownership became common as manufacturing and parts became less expensive. Additionally, the development of technologies such as microchips and microprocessors helped reduce the size of these machines so that they could be easily used in homes.
No doubt this article leaves out the names of many along the way because there are so many thinkers and inventors who helped develop the computer. There are even legal battles over who made the first one and who should be credited as the primary inventor. These seem over the top given the many collaborative efforts that ultimately led to the development of this very useful device.
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