What was the first programmable computer?

[C'DaleRider]

I know y'all know this....but what was the first programmable computer and why was it created?

 

[chiwawa626]

Charles Babbage and his Diffrence/Analytical engines

 

[chiwawa626]

Am i right? I remember reading that in my C++ book. And weren't they for doing math calculations?

 

[Talon]

Was it "Baby" at the University of Manchester. I think Tom Kilburn, it's creator, just passed away.

"The world's first stored program was used to calculate the awe inspiring equation: divide (2 to the power of 30-1) by 31. This was solved in around one and a half seconds."


www.zdnet.co.uk/athome/feature/1999/xmas/news/14.html

edit: Kilburn passed away last week after a long illness. In '98 he admitted he didn't own a computer.

Actually, I'm not sure what the answer is. I just happened to be reading Kilburn's history when I came across this thread.

 

[chiwawa626]

1830 AD
Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine

In 1822, Babbage proposed building a machine called the Difference Engine to automatically calculate mathematical tables. The Difference Engine was only partially completed when Babbage conceived the idea of another, more sophisticated machine called an Analytical Engine.
(Some texts refer to this machine as an "Analytical Steam Engine," because Babbage intended that it would be powered by steam).

The Analytical Engine was intended to use loops of Jacquard's punched cards to control an automatic calculator, which could make decisions based on the results of previous computations. This machine was also intended to employ several features subsequently used in modern computers, including sequential control, branching, and looping.


That was the worlds first "Programmable" computer

 

[GL]

I don't think Babbage actually built that machine. I know it was the first programmable computer in concept, but somehow I don't think it was the first actually produced. Check Slashdot...they had a discussion about this not too long ago.

-GL

 

[vi edit]

I though that byron's adding machine was the first w/ Adda Byron doing the programming.