Research

Ferranti was a major UK electrical engineering and equipment firm, known primarily for defence electronics and power grid systems. The company is also famous in the computer industry for building the second commercial computer, the Ferranti Mark I, which went on sale in 1949 and started their computer business which lasted into the 1970s. They had influential collaborations with the University computing departments at Manchester and Cambridge, which resulted in the development of the Mercury and Atlas machines (Manchester); and the Atlas 2 (Cambridge) aka Titan machine.

See how far computers have come.

Computers are truly amazing machines. They are marvels of the modern age. They in fact make the modern age what it is. Without computers we would not have access to the knowledge and comforts that we now take for granted. But what, exactly, makes them so powerful?

In the electronic computer world, we measure technological advancement by generations. A specific system is said to belong to a specific "generation." Each generation indicates a significant change in computer design. The UNIVAC I represents the first generation. Currently we are moving toward the fourth generation.

The history of computer development is often referred to in terms of five distinct eras, or "generations" of computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.

ATARI COMPUTER - MEMO PAD If you lived your teens during the 80's then chances are you may have had the opportunity to own an Atari 8-bit computer. If you did then you will immediately relate to how your Atari changed your life and introduced you into the world of computing. Those were truly the golden years. Now it is possible to relive those fond memories by recreating your Atari environment and (with resources permitting) expand your Atari collection to include all the games and hardware you wanted as a teenager! With a little disposable income you can now recreate your Atari experience from decades ago and join thousands of others who are embarking upon the same journey.

Here you’ll find technical information on 90% of the British-designed computers that came onto the market in the period 1950 – 1965. The data, compiled by the Computer Conservation Society, covers the major stored-program electronic digital computers manufactured by six historic UK companies:

This collection of rare and vintage computers is one of the largest collections of early computers in the United States. Our research is focused primarily on our collection of over 1,000 computer related items, including 175 vintage computers. The collection of hardware, software and print materials consists of a wide variety of rare items ranging from an 1834 edition of the Edinburgh Review which includes several articles about Charles Babbage and his new "Calculating Engine" to numerous computers manufactured between 1950 and 1981.

A Journey through History of Mainframe Operating System IBM Mainframe operating systems own a heritage of ongoing innovation and enhancement spanning over the last four to five decades. The operating systems developed over this period have always risen up according to the changing technological pulses and growing market requirements. From GM-NAA I/O of 1950’s to the upcoming Windows on System z, the journey of Mainframe operating system is quite fascinating. Let us see, what is mainframe OS, how does it differ from normal OS and how the journey was from where it started to where it is now. We have covered this journey in two parts for our readers.

Books, sites, and articles on HP history: •Company •Founders •Products and Reminiscences •HP Publications •Books on HP •Books on EDS •Acquisitions and Divestitures