The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), developed at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1940s, was the world's first general-purpose electronic digital computer. 🖥️✨ Here's a quick overview:
🌟 Key Highlights
- Invention: Built during World War II to calculate artillery firing tables.
- Innovators: Led by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Impact: Laid the foundation for modern computing and AI development.
📚 Interesting Facts
- Size: Occupied a room measuring 50.8 ft (15.5 m) long and 34 ft (10.4 m) wide.
- Speed: Performed 5,000 additions per second, a monumental leap from mechanical calculators.
- Legacy: Inspired later projects like the UNIVAC, the first commercial computer.
🧠 Fun Trivia
- The ENIAC used 17,468 vacuum tubes, 70,000 crystals, and 1,500 relays.
- It was programmed using switches and cables, not software.
🌐 Expand Your Knowledge
For deeper insights into computing history, check out our article on The Evolution of Early Computers.