Summary
Highlights
The history of the modern computer began in the 1930s with Konrad Zuse's Z1, the first programmable computer. He later created the Z3, the world's oldest digital computer, and then the Z4, the first commercial digital computer. In 1941, J.V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry designed a computer capable of storing data, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer. During World War II, the Harvard Mark-1 / Colossus and ENIAC were developed, large machines primarily used for military applications like breaking ciphers and ballistic analysis, significantly impacting the war's duration.
A significant leap occurred when transistors replaced vacuum tubes, leading to the "Manchester TC" in 1953, the first prototype computer with transistors. That same year, Grace Hopper developed COBOL, the first computer language, and IBM introduced its first computer, the IBM 701. In the early 1960s, IBM's 7000 series, including the 7030 'Stretch', utilized transistors, paving the way for the highly successful IBM 360 series.
In 1965, the Program 101 became the first desktop computer sold to the public, followed by the DDP-116, the first 16-bit commercial microcomputer. Intel launched the first dynamic access memory chip (DRAM), the Intel 1103, in 1970. IBM invented the floppy disk in 1971. The Altair 8800, launched in 1975 with BASIC by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, popularized the term 'personal computer'.
Apple entered the market in 1976 with the Apple I, the first single-circuit board computer, followed by the highly successful Apple II. In 1981, IBM launched the IBM PC (Model 5150) with an Intel 8088 microprocessor and MS-DOS, which revolutionized the industry and led to widespread cloning and software development. Apple continued to innovate with the Lisa in 1983, featuring the first graphical user interface, and the Macintosh in 1984, the first successful computer with a mouse and GUI.
In 1984, Michael Dell founded PC's Limited and created the Turbo PC. By the early 1990s, Dell was a leading computer developer. In 1987, IBM released the Personal System 2, utilizing the Intel 80386 chip and introducing the OS2 operating system, which allowed mouse usage for IBM computers for the first time. The 1990s saw Apple's innovative iMac G3 with its customizable case. The advent of the internet in the 1990s led to widespread adoption of personal computers.
Apple continued its influence into the 2000s with the powerful Apple G5 in 2003, featuring an anodized aluminum case and being named the first true 64-bit personal computer. Computers have drastically evolved in design and performance, fostering a growing market for components that allow users to customize their PCs. The journey from room-sized machines to today's compact, high-performance devices like the Apple Mac mini demonstrates the continuous evolution of technology.