I'm sure you've heard it before:
"The computers that sent man to the moon were less powerful than the phone in your pocket."
We all know that's true conceptually, but what did it look like in practice?
The answer is lots of space and some truly gargantuan machines. Here are 20 computers that were once top of the line and looked the part.
1
The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator
At the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory in England, 1948.
2
NASA Mission Control Computer Room
With dual IBM 7090's, 1962.
3
An IBM Computer
Advanced in 1958.
4
Norwich City Council Getting a Computer Delivery
Nice and convenient, 1950s.
5
Mainframe Computer System
An advertisement in the 1960s.
6
The System/360 Model 91
At NASA, 1960s.
7
EDSAC Monitoring Desk
University of Cambridge, 1950s.
8
5 MB Harddrive
Shipped by IBM, 1956.
9
Early UK Computer
At Boots Offices, Nottingham, 1960.
10
NACA Computer Operates an IBM Telereader
NASA, 1952.
11
Mainframe Computer
Used by Elanto in Helsinki, Finland. 1959.
12
IBM Electronic Data Processing
Machine NASA, 1957.
13
U.S. Census Bureau Employees
Using a computer for the 1960 census.
14
Titan Computer
Working in 1965.
15
Universal Automatic Computer Model
Designed to calculate flight data for missiles, 1961.
16
Mainframe Computer
Used at Kitt Peak National Observatory, 1960s.
17
Edward Stone
In front of IBM computer tape bank, 1966.
18
IBM 650
At Texas A&M, 1950s.
19
The ENIAC
The world’s first electric computer, 1946.
20
Melba Roy
A female “computer,” whose calculations helped track satellites.
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