This site is a work in progreess - I will be adding more and more to it as I continue to study this area
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) was the first electronic digital computer. The ABC was purpose built to calculate linear equations.
Attributes: Non-programmable, electric, digital
Purpose: Solve problems of linear equations
Technology Used: Vacuum Tubes, Relays
Input: Punched cards
Output: Front Panel Display
The Collossus was a programmable electronic digital computer developed by the British at Bletchley park to break the encryption used by the Germans for communication during World War II.
Attributes: Electronic, Programmable, Digital
Purpose: To break the encryption used by the Germans (specifically Lorenz Cipher) in World War II
Technology Used: Vacuum Tubes, Programmable using switches and plug panels
Input: Encrypted messages on paper tape
Output: Electric Typewriter
The Harvard Mark I, the first of the "Harvard Machiens" was a fully automatic electromechanical digital computer.
Attributes: fully automatic (did not require human interaction to operate), electromechanical, digital
Purpose: sdfsdfdf
Technology Used: switches, relays, clutches, electric motor
Input: Sets of switches for data entry and paper tape for instructions
Output: Electric Typewriter
ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator And Computer) was the world's first general purpose digital electronic computer (more info)
Attributes: Electronic, Programmable, General Purpose, Digital, Turing Complete
Purpose: Originally designed to calculate bombing trajectories, the ENIAC was built to late to fulfull this purpose. Instead ENIAC's first use was performing calculations for use in the hydrogen bomb.
Technology Used: Vacuum Tubes, Function Tables, Accumulators
Input: IBM Card Reader
Output: IBM Card Card Punch
The Manchester Baby, or more technically, the Manchester Small-Scale Experiemental machine was the world's first stored program computer.
Attributes: Stored program computer, electronic, Turing Complete
Purpose: Built to test an early type of memory known as a Williams tube, a cathode ray tube used to electronically store binary data.
Technology Used: Williams tube
Input: Buttons and Switches
Output: CRT
The EDVAC, short for Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator, was an electronic stored program computer.
Attributes: Stored Program Computer, electronic, digital, Turing Complete
Purpose: sdfsdfdf
Technology Used: Vacuum Tubes, Mercury Delay Lines (as memory)
Input: Magnetic Tape
Output: Teleprinter
The EDVAC, short for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer was a binary stored program computer.
Attributes: Used binary system instead of decimal, stored program computer
Purpose: Aided in research at the Unversity of Cambridge
Technology Used: Vacuum Tubes, Diodes, Magnetic tape reader and recorder
Input: Encrypted messages on paper tape
Output: Electric Typewriter