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  1. Abaco Calcolo Matematico
    The computer evolved from early counting devices to programmable machines, with Charles Babbage often credited as the "father of the computer" and the first electronic computer built by John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry.

    Early Counting Devices

    The concept of computing dates back thousands of years. The abacus, developed in China around 1100 BCE, is considered the first known calculating device, using beads on rods to perform arithmetic operations. Other early tools included Napier's Bones, invented by John Napier, which simplified multiplication and division, and the slide rule, created by William Oughtred in 1622. These devices laid the foundation for automated calculation.
    Britannica

    Mechanical Computers

    In the 17th century, Blaise Pascal developed the Pascaline, a mechanical calculator capable of addition and subtraction, followed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who created the Stepped Reckoner to perform multiplication and division. The most significant leap came with Charles Babbage in the 19th century. Babbage designed the Difference Engine in 1822 to calculate polynomial functions and later conceptualized the Analytical Engine, a programmable mechanical computer using punched cards inspired by the Jacquard loom. Although Babbage’s machines were never fully built in his lifetime, they contained all the essential ideas of modern computing, including programmability and automatic calculation.
    GeeksForGeeks

    Electronic Computers

    The first electronic computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), was developed in 1942 by John Vincent Atanasoff and his graduate student Clifford Berry. During World War II, computers like ENIAC were built for artillery calculations, and Colossus was used for code-breaking. By 1951, the UNIVAC became the first commercial computer, serving the U.S. Census Bureau.
    HowStuffWorks

    Personal Computers

    The evolution of personal computing began with devices like Hewlett-Packard’s HP 9100A scientific calculator and early Apple computers, including the Apple I and Apple II. The IBM 5150, released in 1981, became a standard in businesses worldwide, marking the widespread adoption of personal computers.
    HowStuffWorks

    Summary

    The invention of the computer was a gradual process, beginning with simple counting tools, advancing through mechanical calculators, and culminating in electronic and programmable machines. Charles Babbage is recognized for conceptualizing the first programmable computer, while Atanasoff and Berry created the first electronic computer, bridging the gap to modern computing technology.
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    Britannica
    https://www.britannica.com › technology › computer › History-of-computing
    Computer - History, Technology, Innovation | Britannica
    Why is the Jacquard loom important in the history of computing? Why were early calculating devices important to the development of computers? A computer might be described with dec…
    GeeksForGeeks
    https://www.geeksforgeeks.org › computer-science-fundamentals › history-of-computers
    History of Computers - GeeksforGeeks
    Before the invention of computers, people relied on simple tools like sticks, stones, and bones to keep track of numbers and perform basic calculations. As technology progressed an…
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    Britannica
    Computer - History, Technology, Innovation | Britannica
    Why is the Jacquard loom important in the history of computing? Why were early calculating devices important to the development of computers? A computer might be described with dec…
    https://www.britannica.com › technology › computer › History-of-computing
    GeeksForGeeks
    History of Computers - GeeksforGeeks
    Before the invention of computers, people relied on simple tools like sticks, stones, and bones to keep track of numbers and perform basic calculations. As technology progressed an…
    https://www.geeksforgeeks.org › computer-science-fundamentals › history-of-computers
    HowStuffWorks
    Who Invented the First Computer? | HowStuffWorks
    The concept of a computer dates back to Charles Babbage's mechanical difference and analytical engines, but the first electronic computer was the brainchild of Dr. John Vincent Ata…
    https://science.howstuffworks.com › innovation › inventions › who-invented-the-computer.htm
    Wikipedia
    Charles Babbage - Wikipedia
    Charles Babbage KH FRS (/ ˈbæbɪdʒ /; 26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English polymath. [1] A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage origi…
    https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Charles_Babbage
    Computer Hope
    When Was the First Computer Invented?
    The first mechanical computer, created by Charles Babbage in 1822, doesn't resemble what most would consider a computer today. Therefore, this page lists each of the computer first…
    https://www.computerhope.com › issues
  2. Wikipedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Charles_Babbage

    Charles Babbage - Wikipedia

    In Babbage's time, printed mathematical tables were calculated by human computers; in other words, by hand. They were central to navigation, science and engineering, as well as mathematics.
    Overview

    Charles Babbage KH FRS was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer. Babbage is considered by some to merit …

    Early life

    Babbage's birthplace is disputed, but according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography he was most likely born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London, England. A blue plaque on the junction of Larcom Street and Walworth Road …

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  3. HowStuffWorks
    https://science.howstuffworks.com › innovation › invention…

    Who Invented the First Computer? - HowStuffWorks

    Oct 20, 2023 · The first computer that resembled the modern machines we see today was invented by Charles Babbage between 1833 and 1871. He developed a …

  5. Britannica
    https://www.britannica.com › technology › computer › The-first-computer

    Computer - Technology, Invention, History | Britannica

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    Mar 20, 2026 · By the second decade of the 19th century, a number of ideas necessary for the invention of the computer were in the air. First, the potential benefits to science and industry of being able to …

  6. Computer Hope
    https://www.computerhope.com › issues

    When Was the First Computer Invented?

    Jun 14, 2025 · There is no easy answer to this question due to the many classifications of computers. The first mechanical computer, created by Charles …

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  8. BBC Science Focus Magazine
    https://www.sciencefocus.com › science › who-invented-th…

    Who invented the computer? - BBC Science Focus …

    Who invented the computer? Pioneering mathematicians Charles Babbage and Alan Turing changed the world with their strides towards developing the computer.

  9. History Cooperative
    https://historycooperative.org › first-computer

    The First Computer: Technology that Changed the World

    Nov 1, 2024 · With programmable computers becoming the norm, the need for storage became obvious, and the first practical stored program computer — the …

  10. CHM
    https://www.computerhistory.org › timeline › computers

    Computers | Timeline of Computer History | Computer …

    In a widely circulated paper, mathematician John von Neumann outlines the architecture of a stored-program computer, including electronic storage of …

  11. British Heritage
    https://britishheritage.org › charles-babbage-the-computer

    Charles Babbage - The Computer - British Heritage

    Charles Babbage (26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage …

  12. turing.org.uk
    https://www.turing.org.uk › scrapbook › computer.html

    Alan Turing Scrapbook - Who invented the computer?

    He designed his own computer in full detail as soon as the Second World War was over. What Alan Turing planned in 1945 was independent of the EDVAC proposal, …

  13. Bricsys
    https://www.bricsys.com › en-eu › blog › who-invented-com…

    Who invented computers? | Bricsys Blog

    But have you ever stopped to think about who invented computers and how they came to dominate our lives? So who created the first computer, and whom can I …

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