History of Computers

Events

First programmable computer

1936 - 1938

"Z1" is considered to be the first electrical binary programmable computer created by Konrad Zuse in his parents living room.

First digital computer

1937 - 1942

Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) was developed by a Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and student Cliff Berry at Iowa State College.

First stored program computer

May 6, 1949

Early British computer (EDSAC), ran the first graphical computer game.

First PC (IBM compatible) computer

1953

"701" the first electric and mass produced computer.

First computer with RAM

March 8, 1955

MIT introduced Whirlwind machine, a revolutionary computer, first digital with magnetic core RAM and real time graphics.

First transistor computer

1956

Transistorized Experimental Computer (TX-O) contained a 64K of 18-bit words of magnetic core memory

First mini computer

1960

Digital Equipment Corporation released PDP-1.

First workstation

1974

Xerox Alto, never sold but included fully fuctioned computer, display, mouse, window menus, and icons.

First personal computer

1975

Altar 8800 was the creator of the rise of Microsoft as a "computing industry giant."

First laptop, portable computer

September 1975

IBM 5100 weighed 55 pounds, had a five inch CRT display, a tape drive and more.