When was the computer invented?

For a long time, I always thought that the first computer in the world was born in the University of Pennsylvania. It was called ENIAC. Later, I gradually learned that this matter is not entirely true. It is still controversial. So who is the real inventor of modern computers? In March this year, Professor Zhang, director of the computer department of Iowa State University, invited the author to visit the school and visited the physics department of the school, the hometown of the world's first computer. The display of relevant historical materials in the Department of Physics is supplemented by Professor Ke Zhao's explanation. The story that happened 65 years ago is reproduced with conclusive evidence and the judgment of the American court. However, none of my friends in China knew the truth of the incident. Many authors still regard ENIAC as the world's first computer in their books in their monographs or textbooks. In 1930s, John Vincent atanasoff, a Bulgarian professor from the Physics Department of Iowa State University, taught students physics and mathematical physics methods. When solving linear partial differential equations, his students have to face complicated calculations and consume a lot of time. Atanasoff tried to use simulation and mathematical methods to help his students deal with those complicated calculation problems. Starting from 1935, he began to explore the use of digital electronic technology for calculation. He is very devoted to his work, often forgetting to eat and sleep and thinking hard. How did he concentrate on this work at that time? Atanasoff himself has a very interesting description. "I tried to find the right idea again and again, but I never got the answer. After working like this for several months, I came back to work in the office one night, still having no clue and feeling extremely depressed. So I got on the bus and drove on the road. I drive very fast and try to concentrate on driving so that I can forget my L sentence. But when I really woke up, I found that I had crossed the Mississippi River and traveled 189 miles to Illinois. Alcohol was banned in Iowa at that time, but not in Illinois. I searched by the light and finally found a pub. I went in and ordered a glass of wine. I felt very clear-headed and suddenly understood what I should think. I started working at once, worked for three hours at a stretch, and then drove home slowly. That night, in a roadside pub in Yichuan, Illinois, I made four decisions: to use electric energy and electronic components, which were electronic vacuum tubes at that time; Using binary instead of decimal; Using the capacitor as the memory can be regenerated, avoid mistakes, and directly perform logical operations instead of the usual digital operations. " Atanasoff's design goal is to be able to solve linear equations with 29 unknowns. After two years of repeated research and attempts, the thinking is becoming clearer and clearer. He also needs a smart, mechanical and hands-on person to complete this invention. So he found Clifford Berry, a graduate student who was studying for a master's degree in physics. Two people finally built a complete prototype in 1939, which proved that their concept was correct and achievable. People call this prototype ABC, and its representative is Atanasoff-Berry computer, which contains their names. This computer is a combination of electronics and electrical appliances. There are 300 electronic vacuum tubes in the circuit system for digital calculation and logical operation. There are two storage drums on the machine, and the capacitors are used to store values. Data input is read by punching in and using binary. The design of ABC contains four most important basic concepts in modern computers. Unfortunately, atanasoff himself may not have realized that this is an important invention that will affect the whole human society and the possibility of how much economic benefits it will bring to him, so he didn't apply for patent protection for himself. He joined the navy on 1942 and had no time to take care of it. The University of Iowa didn't take ABC's invention seriously. Instead of helping atanasoff to apply for a patent, it ordered the graduate students in the department to dismantle ABC, because the supply of 300 vacuum tubes on the computer ABC was in short supply during World War II. The school later realized that this was an irreparable mistake. Today, only the replica designed at that time can be placed in the ABC laboratory of Iowa State University for people to visit. The design of ABC started at 1935 and was completed at 1939. It is earlier in time than any electronic computer design scheme we know now, such as the design of Bush and Crawford of MlT. Zuse and Schreier in Berlin, British Foreign Office, Hajchman in RCA, John Mauchley and Presper of the University of Pennsylvania designed and manufactured ENlAC in eckert. For a long time, people mistakenly thought that the first computer in the world was EN|ACA designed and manufactured by the University of Pennsylvania in the United States in 1945. Mosily, its main designer, claimed to be so and applied for a patent in the United States. I mentioned above that the design and manufacturing scheme of other computers several times later than ABC was in the 1930s. In fact, except ENlAC, it should be said that they were all invented independently. But EN|AC is not. After several years of investigation, the Minnesota District Court of the United States finally concluded that its designers and manufacturers were deeply influenced by ABC, and this machine could not be regarded as an independent invention at all. 1973, the U.S. District Court of Minnesota made a formal judgment, revoking Moxili's patent, affirming that atanasoff was the real inventor of modern computers. There is also a story in it. At an annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1940, Professor Mosley of the University of Pennsylvania met atanasoff. Atanasoff talked with him about his own ABC. Moses showed great interest and came to A Mu, a small town in Iowa, the seat of Iowa State University the following year. He lived for five days and got to know the design details and internal working principle of ABC carefully. After returning to the University of Pennsylvania, he decided to design a machine and claimed to use it to solve the weather forecast problem, and this plan was immediately supported by the Ministry of National Defense. 1946, he and eckert finally built a machine called ENIAC, and obtained the invention patent, which brought them huge economic benefits. Mosily kept this secret and never admitted to asking atanasoff about ABC's design principles. Someone even asked him if he had been to atanasoff in A Mu in 194 1 and stayed there for five days. He also denied it and said, "I don't remember." Until 1973, after the longest investigation by the US federal court, the truth finally came out. The patent of plagiarist Mosily was turned out, and it was determined that the basic idea of modern computer came from john vincent atanasoff.

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