The first computer, in the modern sense of the term, refers to the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). Here's a summary:
The ENIAC, completed in 1945, was the world's first general-purpose electronic digital computer. It was developed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering, with funding from the United States Army during World War II.
Key features of the ENIAC include:
1. **Size and Scale**: ENIAC was massive, weighing about 30 tons and occupying a space of around 1,800 square feet. It consisted of over 17,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 1,500 relays, and hundreds of thousands of hand-soldered connections.
2. **Purpose**: ENIAC was primarily designed to calculate artillery firing tables for the United States Army. Before its development, such calculations were done manually, which was time-consuming and prone to errors.
3. **Speed and Capabilities**: ENIAC was incredibly fast for its time, capable of performing thousands of calculations per second. It could solve a wide range of numerical problems, including differential equations, by reprogramming its switches and cables.
4. **Programming**: ENIAC was programmed using a combination of patch cables and switches, which had to be manually set to perform specific tasks. Programming ENIAC was a laborious process that required a deep understanding of its architecture.
Despite its groundbreaking nature, ENIAC had limitations. It was not a stored-program computer, meaning its programs had to be physically rewired for each new task. This made it inflexible and time-consuming to reconfigure.
Nevertheless, ENIAC laid the foundation for future computing developments. Its success demonstrated the potential of electronic digital computers and inspired further innovation in the field of computing, leading to the development of more advanced and versatile machines in the decades that followed.
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