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If you had to guess when the first computer was discussed, what year would you guess? Sometime in the 1940s? Maybe as far back as the 1920s? If pressed would you be willing to go back to the late 19th century? If you think that is a stretch, try 1822. That’s right; the first computer was discussed in the first quarter of the 19th century! Charles Babbage was an early mathematician, mechanical engineer and inventor who is credited with developing the first designs of a modern computer. It was in a letter to a friend where Babbage first came up with the idea of inventing a machine to calculate math tables. The name “computer” comes from the name of the people who did these advanced calculations. (As a teacher is one who teaches, a computer was considered one who computes.) Babbage felt that the human factor in this system was far too prone to error and sought a way to remove the people from this particular mathematical equation.
Babbage had a difficult time getting his designs off the ground in his lifetime. Part of the problem was a lack of funding, the other was his temperament–he was never satisfied with any models. The late 20th century saw modern designers creating models based on both Babbage’s designs and the technology available during his lifetime. His designs included the early punch card programmed models of the mid-20th century that set the stage for the modern computers that are used today. He recognized that with a punch card-driven model, you would only have to write the program once, when it was imprinted on the card. The card would then command the computer each time that particular program was needed. Anyone with even rudimentary knowledge of computer programming can recognize how this truly paved the way for the model that’s sitting on their desk now.