An article about historical facts on computer development, about the first invention of a personal computer in the USSR.

It is believed that the founders of the personal computer are two American citizens, Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak.
However, this is not quite true!
The sixties of the last century in the Soviet Union were significant for scientific and technical discoveries, man's breakthrough into space, military and technological developments.
The creation and patent of the first PC, back in 1968, belongs to a modest Soviet scientist Arseny Gorokhov. This event occurred several years before the “invention” of the Americans. Arseny Gorokhov worked at the Aviation Design Institute in Omsk.
The first PC looked like this:

Personal Computer. Invention of engineer A. A. Gorokhov. 1968

Some historical facts

The development of the first computers began immediately after the Great Patriotic War. In the early 50s, computers were huge cabinets with many keys. They were called computer, electronically computing machines. The first car was the Soviet one Computer "Whirlwind".

Electronic computers of the 50s of the last century

The equipment was expensive. The operating memory of the computer was very small, only 512 bytes, and the weight of the equipment reached half a ton! Such machines could not be called personal. However, development continued.
The beginning of the 60s of the last century is marked by the emergence of commercial computers. The equipment becomes fast, powerful, compact, equipped with a keyboard and screen. The size of the equipment is reduced to the size of several refrigerators, and the price also becomes lower. Computer type "PDP-1".

Computer device from the early 60s of the last century, “PDP-1”

In 1969, the American company claimed the right to be called the first personal computer. Honeywell Kitchen Computer. Its weight is significantly reduced, only 65 kg. Visually, it represents a box equipped work panel lamps and keys, as well as a cutting board.

Honeywell Kitchen Computer, 1969

The main function is to store various chef's cooking recipes in memory. There were no people willing to purchase such equipment!
The creation of microprocessors in 1970 ushered in the age of personal electronic devices. The first microprocessor had 8 bits and was named Intel 8080. Further, events developed at high speed: the first microcomputer was created "Altair 8800".

Microcomputer “Altair 8800”, 1970

The equipment is already being sold in small quantities. But! Having received the ordered computer, users are shocked! You have to assemble the computer yourself from the parts sent, do soldering, testing, and create computer programs.
Regular users cannot operate the device. Development continues!
It's 1976, two Americans create their own computer. Apple". The equipment is sold complete and assembled. Serial production began in 1978.

Apple computer, 1976

However, we missed 1968!

Development of the first PC

So, 1968. Omsk. Aviation Research Institute. Engineer Gorokhov invents a machine for outlining the contours of a part. This is the official name in the patent dated May of the same year. The equipment is intended for drawing electrical circuit diagrams, engineering drawings.
The equipment consisted of a monitor, system unit, built-in hard drive. Using the device, problems with electronic computers, memory cards, and video cards were solved.
Does the described device diagram remind you of anything?
Yes, exactly, a modern home computer!
Next comes information according to which a patent for the invention was granted, but funding was not allocated. In 1970, the design of the device was published for public viewing in a special journal of inventions. In 1976, two Americans patented a personal computer.
The moment of truth was missed, but the fact of the first invention of the PC by Soviet engineer Gorokhov remains a fact!

Arseny Anatolyevich Gorokhov with a patent for the invention of a personal computer. In the background is a photo of the first computer.

Video: Invention of the first personal computer. Arseny Gorokhov

Have you ever wondered who invented a machine that allows you to read these very words while listening to music, maintaining social profile and shooting terrorists in games, and all this with the press of one button?

This outstanding person was Charles Babbage (December 26, 1791 - October 18, 1871). He invented the first programmable computer in 1833. Thanks to his invaluable invention, Babbage is considered the father of the computer.

Did you know?
Until the 19th century, the term "computer" was applied to people assigned to perform "mathematical calculations"!

The image shows Babbage's creation.

Charles Babbage's father, Benjamin Babbage, was a wealthy businessman. Thus, young Charles went to many prestigious schools until he ended up at Holmwood Academy in Enfield. That's where his love for mathematics began.

Later, he went to Peterhouse, Cambridge for further studies. At Peterhouse he studied analytic philosophy and went on to study mathematics. Even without graduating from college, he was awarded an honorary degree in mathematics without examination.

In addition to being a talented mathematician, Babbage was also a philosopher and an avid cryptography enthusiast.

Babbage noted that human calculations, especially those involving logarithms, were often incorrect. This gave him the idea of ​​a machine capable of making calculations with essentially no margin of error. Ada Lovelace, who helped Babbage program his machine, is considered the world's first computer programmer.

Interestingly, the history of programming itself does not begin with Babbage's Analytical Engine. The world's first programmable device was actually a loom! Invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard, the Jacquard Loom was the first programmable machine in history. The programming of the Jacquard loom and Babbage's computer was done using punch cards. Babbage invented the mechanical predecessor of the printer as an output device for his machine.

The next leap forward in computer history was made simultaneously by Konrad Zuse and John Atanasov, but with different designs. Atanasov built the world's first digital computer using vacuum tubes. The Atanasoff-Berry computer laid the foundation for becoming one of the most useful and widespread devices in the world. However, this computer was not programmable. On the other hand, Konrad Zuse built a programmable computer, known as the Z3, which was electromechanical, i.e. analog.

Despite the respective shortcomings of both designs, Atanasov and Zuse are both considered among the most important names in computer technology. George Stibitz is also considered one of the inventors of the digital computer.

Numerous entrances, exits and peripherals, connected to modern computers, were not part of these early designs. They were invented by the following scientists:

• Monitor (Cathode Ray Tube): Allen Dumont (1931)
• Mouse: Douglas Engelbart (1963)
• QWERTY keyboard: Christopher Sholes (1867 - on typewriters)
• Scanner: Giovanni Caselli / Edouard Belin (1858 / 1913)

In 1991, a fully functioning model of Charles Babbage's machine was built, showing the true brilliance of the visionary inventor. The model also encourages research into possible applications of mechanical computing, which can be very useful in situations where digital computers cannot withstand physical conditions. In 2011, British scientists initiated a project to build Babbage's Analytical Engine using the most original designs, which should be completed by 2021. It would indeed be a fitting tribute to the man who guided the world towards continuous advancement of unimaginable technological advancement.

Can you imagine modern world without computers? I don’t, because every step we take is connected with computers. This story began back in the distant 40s, when the world was just beginning to learn about the creation of the first “computers” (electronic computers).

The history of the creation of the world's first computer

In 1942, John Mauchly's project gave impetus to the creation of the first computer, although at first no attention was paid to the project itself. One day one of the US Army laboratories became interested in it, and already in 1943 the first steps were taken to create a machine called “ENIAC”. The money for the creation was given by the Pentagon (which needed to create new guns), and it cost a little less than $500,000.

By the way, ENIAC turned out to be very voracious in terms of electricity, when it was turned on - the lights of the nearby city dimmed every time. ENIAC (Electronical Numerical Integrator and Calculator) was truly the first computer that could be programmed.

Technical characteristics of the first computer:

1. Weight reached 27 tons;
2. Power - 174 kW - this is approximately how much a huge shopping center consumes on a weekend;
3. Contained 18,000 vacuum tubes, because there were no transistors and processors at that time;
4. Memory - 4 kilobytes;
5. Its size was impressive - it occupied 135 sq.m.
6. Performed up to 5000 actions per second.

The most amazing thing is the kilometers of wires that were wrapped around the computer. It was programmed as a telephone communicator, operated by telephone operators.

Later, it began to be used not only to analyze cosmic radiation, but also to create a hydrogen bomb. While the computer was being created, the war ended, but research did not stop and in 1945 they conducted the first official test, which it passed. At the same time, about 1,000,000 IBM punch cards were processed. Despite its enormous size and weight, the computer worked for about 10 years.

Five years later, the transistor was invented, which marked the beginning of the reduction in the size of computers.

Where and when was the first personal computer sold?

The concept of the personal computer changed little over the next two decades. The introduction of the microprocessor speeded up the process of creating a computer. IBM tried to create its first computer back in 1974, but the attempt failed and sales were very low. IBM5100 - had cassettes as storage media, rather light weight and a serious cost of $10,000.

He was also already able to independently execute programs written in programming languages ​​such as BASIC and APL (he was created at IBM). displayed 16 lines of 64 characters, memory about 64 KB, and these cassettes were similar to stereo audio cassettes. But sales never came because there was no normal interface provided and the price was too high.

Have you ever wondered what computers will be like in 10 years?

IBM recently unveiled its new mega-computer, the Roadrunner. Its capacity is 1,000,000,000,000 (1 quadrillion) operations. It was created for the US Department of Energy, and consists of 6480 2-core processors, and 12,960 processors from IBM, which are called . It includes 278 huge cabinets, 88 kilometers of cables, weighs 226 tons, occupies an area of ​​1100 m², consumes 3.9 MW, and costs $133,000,000.

The acquaintance with the computer took place not so long ago, but its appearance was preceded by Long story creation.

A little history

Blaise Pascal and Wilhelm Leibniz's adding machine are considered the ancestors of the modern personal computer. The term “computer” was first mentioned back in the 18th century. Then this term applied to any mechanical computing device that could perform the most simple operations– addition and subtraction.

In the Oxford Dictionary, the word "computer" was interpreted as "computer".

Later, at the beginning of the 19th century, a more “smart” machine was invented that could solve even simple equations. Even later, they were able to create the first analytical multifunctional machine operating using punched cards. Given the close attention of scientists to these devices, their modernization took place at an accelerated pace. In a short time they were equipped with electric relays and vacuum tubes.

A long way from the first computer to the modern computer

In 1946, the first computer was presented to the world. True, that machine was many times larger than a modern computer and absorbed quite a large amount of electricity. The weight of the first computer was approximately 30 tons. Only large, wealthy companies and enterprises allowed themselves to use such computers.

In the early 60s, thanks to the invention of transistors, manufacturers were able to release the first mini-computer, the PDP-8. The computer is equipped RAM to store information, they learned to store information on magnetic disks. The leading position in the production of computers at that time was taken by IBM, which to this day remains the largest computer manufacturer in the world.

A landmark event in the development personal computers is the creation of an interpreter by Bill Gates Basic language"Altair", which made it possible to create a variety of programs for computers.

Since the creation of Altair, the production of computers began to be widespread. Many PC manufacturers began to appear and software to them.

From that moment on, the main emphasis was on improving the quality and versatility of this technology, which allowed a person to use a multifunctional and compact “super device” - a modern computer.

Computers owe their existence to the Second World War. In the early 1940s, scientists began to use electronic-mechanical and then fully electronic computers to calculate the trajectories of projectiles, as well as to decipher enemy messages. But theoretical basis computer science was founded even before the war.

The theoretical father of the computer is the British scientist Alan Turing (1912-1954). It was he who in 1936 developed a model of a computing device, called the “Turing Machine” and which became the theoretical prototype of all modern computers. Alan Turing is considered a pioneer of computer science and the founder of computer science. The Turing machine is studied in all universities where computer scientists are trained.

The first person to build a working computer that was "Turing complete" was the German inventor Konrad Zuse (1910-1995). On May 12, 1941, he tested his Z3 for the first time, based on his earlier Z1 and Z2 designs. It is the Z3 that most experts consider the first working programmable computer. However, the Z3, unlike, for example, the later American ENIAC, was electromechanical, and did not yet have the ability to make “conditional jumps” (IF-THEN-ELSE).

The above-mentioned ENIAC was developed by Eckert and Mauchly, engineers from the University of Pennsylvania (USA), commissioned by the American military department. ENIAC became the first fully electronic computer general purpose, which could be reprogrammed to solve different types of problems. This expensive and huge monster worked right up to 1955.

Today is August 18, 2019. Do you know what holiday is today?

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