History of Early Digital Computers

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Which computer is recognized as the first stored program digital computer?

ENIAC

UNIVAC

EDSAC

Manchester Mark I (correct)

Who is credited with defining the stored-program computer architecture that influenced the Manchester Mark I?

John von Neumann (correct)

Alan Turing

Maurice Wilkes

Howard Aiken

What significant accomplishment did EDSAC achieve on May 6, 1949?

First commercial use of a computer

Running its first programs (correct)

Incorporating transistors

Winning a military contract

What was the primary purpose of the SAGE computer system?

Tracking radar data for air defense Signup and view all the answers

What does the acronym UNIVAC stand for?

Universal Automatic Computer Signup and view all the answers

Which electronic computer was constructed by Maurice Wilkes and his team to operate using stored programs?

EDSAC Signup and view all the answers

Which computer was mentioned as having technological advances like modems and graphical displays?

SAGE Signup and view all the answers

Which computing development occurred closest to the end of World War II?

Manchester Mark I Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary function of the NEAC 2203 computer?

Scientific and engineering applications Signup and view all the answers

What significant innovation did the IBM System/360 introduce?

Integrated circuits Signup and view all the answers

How many units of the PDP-8 were sold upon its release?

50,000 units Signup and view all the answers

What was the unique selling point of the PDP-8 compared to the small IBM 360 mainframe?

Lower price Signup and view all the answers

What was the Apollo Guidance Computer primarily used for?

Steering the spacecraft Signup and view all the answers

What was notable about the Control Data Corporation's 6600 machine?

Fastest machine in the world at one time Signup and view all the answers

What type of interface did astronauts use to communicate with the Apollo Guidance Computer?

Punching codes into a keyboard Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial investment amount for the IBM System/360?

$5 billion Signup and view all the answers

Who is regarded as the first computer programmer?

Lady Ada Lovelace Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary function of Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine?

Count census data using punched cards Signup and view all the answers

What significant concept did Alan Turing introduce in his 1936 paper?

The Turing Machine Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about Lady Ada Lovelace is true?

She contributed significantly to the design of the Analytical Engine. Signup and view all the answers

Which individual is associated with the development of an electromechanical tabulating machine?

Herman Hollerith Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of the Turing Machine as described in Turing's work?

To represent logical principles of computation Signup and view all the answers

In addition to being a mathematician, which other role is Alan Turing known for?

Cryptanalyst Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the tabulating machine used in the 1890 US census?

It represented data using punched cards. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the Interface Message Processor (IMP) in the ARPANET?

To function as a gateway or router within the network Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following computers is often considered the world's first personal computer?

Kenbak-1 Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the reasons the Kenbak-1 failed in the market?

It lacked a microprocessor and had minimal computing power Signup and view all the answers

What innovative term did Ed Roberts coin while developing the Altair 8800?

Personal computer Signup and view all the answers

How many units of the Apple 1 were initially sold?

200 units Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the Altair 8800 released?

1975 Signup and view all the answers

Who were the co-founders of Microsoft who licensed BASIC for the Altair 8800?

Bill Gates and Paul Allen Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial retail price of the Apple 1?

$666 Signup and view all the answers

What was the first product produced by Hewlett-Packard?

HP 200A Audio Oscillator Signup and view all the answers

Which company ordered eight units of the HP 200B model?

Walt Disney Pictures Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following computers was at the center of a patent dispute regarding the title of first electronic digital computer?

Atanasoff Berry Computer Signup and view all the answers

Who were the original designers of the ENIAC?

John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert Signup and view all the answers

What was the maximum operational speed of the ENIAC?

5,000 operations per second Signup and view all the answers

What was a unique feature of the Colossus computer?

It was designed to break Nazi ciphers during WWII. Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the EDVAC announced as the successor to the ENIAC?

1947 Signup and view all the answers

What was a notable feature of the Atanasoff Berry Computer?

First electronic digital computer Signup and view all the answers