What did the very first computer look like?

The very first machines for quickly performing complicated calculations were built around 200 years ago. They used a mechanism made up of gears, cog wheels and axles. A more recent relative of those devices was the Colossus, which is considered to have been the first electronic computer. It was built in Britain in 1943, during World War II. The Colossus was used to decipher secret codes.

Colossal
The Colossus (what’s in a name?) was absolutely colossal. Instead of compact computer chips, the calculations were performed using hundreds of vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube is about the size of an old lightbulb. The Colossus also did not have a keyboard. It was programmed using a board wired up with switches and plugs.

Museum piece
If you are interested, the Colossus is still on display in Britain. After being completely restored by a specialist, the computer is now fully functional again. You can see it in the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, near London.