Who is given credit for invention of 'Computer'? Is there any patent?

Question

We know PC was first made by IBM in 1954, sold in the market for the first time in 1984. Were not IBM interested for the patent? It seems they were not. (mere assaumption). But who is given the credit for computers?

Answer 1

IBM made very large computers in the 1950's. The first IBM PCs in the early 80s were made largely by assempling existing "off-the-shelf" components, so there were few patent opportunities.

However, related to the chips and other components inside computers and PCs, there are thousands of patents. They do not apply to such broad concepts as "a computer", but smaller details like techniques for storing more information on a hard drive, or making a video display that looks better.

In terms of who invented the computer, that is a tough question. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer has some cool info on early computers, such as a textile loom in 1801 that used punched cards to "program" the weaving of complicated patterns. In 1837 Charles Babbage designed the first mechanical computational device (but never built it).

Quote: Large-scale automated data processing of punched cards was performed for the US Census in 1890 by tabulating machines designed by Herman Hollerith and manufactured by the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation, which later became IBM.

Quote: Konrad Zuse's electromechanical "Z machines". The Z3 (1941) was the first working machine featuring binary arithmetic, including floating point arithmetic and a measure of programmability. In 1998 the Z3 was proved to be Turing complete, therefore being the world's first operational computer.

Answer 2

Unless I`m mistaken was`nt it a guy called Burbage whom I believe may have been British