THE FIrST COMPUTER

CAMILA GÓMEZ HIDALGO

Grade: 10-B

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here are many people out there who would say that the first "computer" was the

abacus, invented in Asia about 5000 years ago.

As time went on, there were a number of special devices invented to help with things like tax collecting, taking the census, etc.

The first of the "modern" computers was invented during World War II, in 1941 by a German engineer named Konrad Zuse. The computer was called the Z3 and was used to help design German airplanes and missiles. A couple years later, in 1943, the Allied forces developed a computer called Colossus to help decode German messages.

But now that the Z3 was developed by the side that lost the war and the Colossus we stayed a military secret for many years, these teams do not contribute much to those who come after this.

first generation computers were characterized by the fact that operating

instructions were made-to-order for the specific task for which the computer was

to be used. Each computer had a different binary-coded program called a

machine language that told it how to operate. This made the computer difficult

to program and limited its versatility and speed. Other distinctive features of first

generation computers were the use of vacuum tubes (responsible for their

breathtaking size) and magnetic drums for data storage.

Other distinctive features of first generation computers were the use of vacuum tubes (responsible for their breathtaking size) and magnetic drums for data storage.

Magnetic drums Vacuum tubes