There are a lot of people who don't agree when the first computer was built; in fact many say that the first actual conception of the idea of a computer was by J. H. Smith in 1782. He however never built the computer. His concept was called a difference engine.

Difference engines were put on the backburner until 1822, when Charles Babbage picked up the concept. He created a machine that used a decimal number system, and was powered by the cranking of a handle. Babbage was financed in his research by the British government, but they later would cut that support off.

This did not stop Babbage though, he went on to design a more analytical machine, but later on he made it more improved and put out a difference engine #2, all this happened between 1834 and 1869. Babbage made leaps and bounds in his designs.

Still other people will argue that Babbage's machine was the first electronic computer. While an earlier concept was made called the Antikythera machine, which was a mechanic device that was used to calculate the position of astrological signs.

This "earliest computer" was discovered on a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea, and it dates back to 250 BC. It's not known who designed this early device but it has been guessed to be designed by Archimedes, because it is similar to some of his other mechanical devices.

However, there are still other people who will argue that the abacus was truly the first computer. These were invented in China somewhere between 2600 BC and 300 BC. These abacus were used by clerks and merchants in China, they are felt to be the first computer by many people.

Alan Turing who was from Cambridge UK, he was drafted to the Bletchley park secret base where the work was being done on the WW3 enigma codes that the Germans were using. It was kept top secret until recently the name of this computer was Colossus; it was smashed into pieces at the end of the war.

The first known "modern computer" was invented during WWII, done by a German engineer named Konrad Zuse in 1941. This computer was named the Z3. It was an analog computer that was designed to stimulate the guidance system for rockets.

With some research it was found that Babbage did not build a complete machine. Thus it would be Zuse who invented the first electronic computer.

Thus to truly answer who invented the computer it's not really simple. Really you have to say who all contributed to the make up of the computer. So many different people in history helped with these inventions, by their failures and successes.

So over all the first electronic computer was invented by John Vincent Ansoff. It was named the ABC, which stood for Anatasoff Berry Computer.

A lot of people would feel that IBM was the first in designing the PC, but really prior to them was the MITS Altair 8800, Apple II, TRS80, the Atari 800, and of course the Commodore 64. Still others say Altair was not first, but instead it was the Simon by Berkley Enterprises.

So as you can see who invented the first computer is really up for grabs, and will be forever. But let's thank all these people who came up with an incredible machine that is hard to live our lives without.

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The German engineer, Konrad Zuse is accredited with building the first computer in 1938. Zuse named his machine V1, but later changed it to Z1 to avoid it being confused with the V1 rocket. The Z1, was the worlds very first freely programmable computer. The Z1 was equipped with all the basics of our modern day machines, it used the binary system, a control unit, memory, micro sequences and floating point logic. The Z1 did not use relays, but instead consisted of thin metal sheets, which was produced using a jigsaw. It had an electrical engine, which provided a clock frequency of 1 Hz. The Z1 had a 64 word memory, in which each word contained 22 bits. The arithmetic unit ran four basic operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The Z1 had an average calculation speed of five seconds for addition and ten seconds for multiplication. In order for the Z1 to be programed it required that the user insert punch tape, a long strip of paper with holes that were used to store data, into a punch tape reader. The Z1 was built in Zuse's parents living room and weighed a little over two thousand pounds. It was privately financed and while it did not function for any practical use it was the beginning of the development of a series of Z machines.

Even though Konrad Zuse has been given the title "Inventor of the computer," many consider the US-built ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) to be the first electronic computer. It combined the speed of electronics with ability to be programmed. It had a calculation speed 5000 times per second for both addition and subtraction, which was faster than any other machines developed before it. Like the Z1, the ENIAC was able to multiply and divide, but had an additional feature of being able to provide square roots. Unlike the Z1 the memory was limited to about 20 words. ENIAC was a very large machine, it was the size of approximately two semi-trucks had a large number of blinking lights, required what seemed like an army of attendants, weighing almost thirty tons and containing over 18,000 valves. ENIAC was built by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert and funded by the University of Pennsylvania.

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Kir Figuereo is a professional translator working with K Alliance. K Alliance specializes in developing computer based training (CBT) and online computer training videos. We offer a complete e-learning solution in the form of either cd, intranet, or online training video courseware. No matter which method you prefer, K Alliance has online courses to help you achieve your elearning goals. Our self-placed computer training videos include hundreds of choices in topics such as IT Training, Certification Training, Desktop Office and Soft Skills.

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It is true that computers seem like a recent invention of the last fifty years, but in actuality the first computer was built in the 1930s and has been accredited to Konrad Zuse. Konrad Zuse (1910-1995) was trained as an engineer and worked for Henschel aircraft factory in Germany. Zuse graduated in civil engineering from the Technische Hochschule Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1935. Zuse dreamt about performing calculations by machine during his engineering studies, due to having to perform many routine calculations by hand. While working at the factory Zuse became tired of repeating calculation procedures and resigned from his job as an engineer after one year to build the world's first program-controlled computer (Z1) in 1938. Zuse combined the thinking of both mathematics and computer science in an ideal manner to create the Z1. The Z1, also known as the first mechanical calculator, had all the basics of our modern day machines, such as use of the binary system and separation of storage and control. Though this test model never functioned for any practical use due to imperfections it was the beginning of the development of a series of Z machines that soon led to the development of the Z3.

It is alleged that Zuse created and installed the Z3 in his parents living room. The Z3 was the first functioning computer that was freely programmable and fully automatic. The Z3 was developed in 1941 and was the first realization of a program control using binary digits. The original Z3 was unfortunately destroyed in 1945 during the war and a new Z model (Z4) was developed. Konrad Zuse has been given the title "Inventor of the computer". When asked about it Konrad Zuse replied "Well, I guess, it took many inventors besides me to develop the computer as we know it nowadays. I wish the following generation the best for their work with the computer. May this instrument help you solve the problems which we old folks have left behind."

The instrument originally created by Konrad Zuse allows this generation to do a number of amazing things with technology. One of the newest programs out there for computers is Microsoft Windows 7. Like any other upgrades, Windows 7 has many features that require training. Why not increase your personal knowledge base with a Windows 7 class.

Kir Figuereo is a professional translator working with K Alliance. K Alliance specializes in developing computer based training (CBT) and online computer training videos. We offer a complete e-learning solution in the form of either CD, intranet, or online training video courseware. No matter which method you prefer, K Alliance has online courses to help you achieve your elearning goals. Our self-placed computer training videos include hundreds of choices in topics such as IT Training, Certification Training, Desktop Office and Soft Skills.

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