Digital computer

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Replica of the Zuse Z3 , the first functional digital computer

Digital computers (English digit , number, from the Latin digitum , finger) are computers that perform their calculations on the basis of discrete number representations (mostly in binary form). Thus, all of the personal computers in use today are digital computers.

Today most digital computers work on an electronic basis. But others are also possible, for example on a mechanical, pneumatic and optical basis.

The term is often used to differentiate between analog computers that represent numbers analog (non-discrete). A calculated value is represented as electrical voltage or current and the calculation is carried out using suitable circuits. Therefore, analog computers are generally not programmable.

Computer model	country	Installation	Floating point arithmetic	Binary	Electronically	Programmable	Mighty Turing
Zuse Z3	Germany	May 1941	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, using punched tape	Yes, without any practical use
Atanasoff-Berry computer	United States	Summer 1941	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Colossus	UK	1943	No	Yes	Yes	Partly, by rewiring	No
Mark I.	United States	1944	No	No	No	Yes, using punched tape	Yes
Zuse Z4	Germany	March 1945	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, using punched tape	Yes, without any practical use
		around 1950	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, using punched tape	Yes
ENIAC	United States	1946	No	No	Yes	Partly, by rewiring	Yes
		1948	No	No	Yes	Yes, using the resistor matrix	Yes

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Historical background

Finger arithmetic is the oldest calculation method. You can not only count with your fingers, you can also calculate. Very high numerical values ​​can be displayed with the fingers and hands. The first digital calculator is the abacus, which comes in various forms: calculating table, calculating table, counting frame (spherical calculator), calculating cloth. Like finger counting, abacus counting has survived in certain areas to this day. The best-known ball calculators were the Chinese, Japanese and Russian abacus. Other digital computers are relay, tube and transistor computers, as well as mechanical calculating machines such as the Curta.