who made the first computer and when?

Answer 1

Examples of early devices, the ancestors of the computer, included the abacus and the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek device for calculating the movements of planets which dates from about 87 BC. The end of the Middle Ages saw a reinvigoration of European mathematics and engineering, and Wilhelm Schickard's 1623 device was the first of a number of mechanical calculators constructed by European engineers.

In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard made an improvement to existing loom designs that used a series of punched paper cards as a program to weave intricate patterns. The resulting Jacquard loom is not considered a true computer but it was an important step in the development of modern digital computers.

Charles Babbage was the first to conceptualize and design a fully programmable computer as early as 1820, but due to a combination of the limits of the technology of the time, limited finance, and an inability to resist tinkering with his design, the device was never actually constructed in his lifetime. By the end of the 19th century a number of technologies that would later prove useful in computing had appeared, such as the punch card and the vacuum tube, and large-scale automated data processing using punch cards was performed by tabulating machines designed by Hermann Hollerith.

During the first half of the 20th century, many scientific computing needs were met by increasingly sophisticated special-purpose analog computers, which used a direct mechanical or electrical model of the problem as a basis for computation. These became increasingly rare after the development of the programmable digital computer.

A succession of steadily more powerful and flexible computing devices were constructed in the 1930s and 1940s, gradually adding the key features of modern computers, such as the use of digital electronics (largely invented by Claude Shannon in 1937) and more flexible programmability.

Defining one point along this road as "the first digital electronic computer" is exceedingly difficult. On 12 May 1941 Konrad Zuse completed his electromechanical Z3, being the first working machine featuring automatic binary arithmetic and feasible programmability (therefore the first digital operational programmable computer, although not electronic); other notable achievements include the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (shown working around Summer 1941), a special-purpose machine that used valve-driven (vacuum tube) computation, binary numbers, and regenerative memory; the secret British Colossus computer (demonstrated in 1943), which had limited programmability but demonstrated that a device using thousands of valves could be both made reliable and reprogrammed electronically; the Harvard Mark I, a large-scale electromechanical computer with limited programmability (shown working around 1944); the decimal-based American ENIAC (1946) — which was the first general purpose electronic computer, but originally had an inflexible architecture that meant reprogramming it essentially required it to be rewired.

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean by computer. Obviously there are a few different types. Mechanical and digital are the obvious ones. So, to really throw things into confusion, the first mechanical computers were actually made by the ancient Greeks for purposes of maritime navigation. One was discovered in the 60s and it was unclear as to what it was until recent technology allowed scientists to realize what it was. A computer made around 3000 years ago!

Answer 3

A guy called Babbage gets the credit for the first mechanical calculator. But you have to define computer, otherwise it's an open-ended question. Is an abacus not a computer? Nobody knows who built the first abacus

Answer 4

The difference engine was designed by Mr Babbage in 1812......


Despite being the father of computers, only 3 people were at his funeral as he manage to run up massive debt and bankrupted his friends with the invention

Answer 5

Dr Edmund Computer made the first computer while taking a break from sucking off a horse in a cave in the grand canyon in 1833.

Answer 6

The first computer was the Abacus's invented by the Chinese 3000 years ago

Answer 7

The first computer was finished in 1938, it was named Z1 by the German inventor Dr.Konrad Zuse.*June, 22nd, 1910, +December, 18th,1995

Answer 8

Clive Sinclair?

Answer 9

Was it Babbage's difference engine in 1821?

Answer 10

My God - Four out of thirteen correct, the rest shite. What's the world coming to?
And PLEASE don't come out with all the usual "It's only a bit of fun" / "Don't take this so seriously" / "Get a life" rubbish. If you can't answer a question properly, go onto the 'riddles' section.