On this day in 1903 American physicist and computer pioneer John Vincent Atanasoff was born. Atanasoff was born in Hamilton, New York and received his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida; his master’s degree in mathematics from Iowa State College; and his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is best known for having invented the first electronic digital computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer. He came up with the idea for a calculating machine that would use binary arithmetic and electronic switching devices while he was teaching at Iowa State College in the 1930s. With the help of his graduate student Clifford Berry, he was able to produce the Atanasoff-Berry Computer prototype in November, 1939.
There was some dispute over who really invented the first electronic digital computer in the early 1970s, but this was resolved in 1973 when the Honeywell v. Sperry Rand lawsuit ruled in favor of Atanasoff.
Atanasoff died in June 15, 1995 at the age of 91.
John Vincent Atanasoff – Image taken from Wikipedia
Hi so alan turing’s BOMB was not an electronic computer then with it’s hundreds of thermionic valves built with the assistance of Tommy Flowers at blechley park to work out the code from the enigma machines used by the germans in world war 2. As usual America can’t accept it was not the first. a lot like swan and edison invention of the light bulb.