Timeline: Significant Events in Computer Programming History

Jun 14, 1822

First Mechanical Computer

Charles Babbage conceptualizes he first mechanical computer and creates a small scale prototype. Unfortunately, due to a combination of lack of interest and understand, the device is never created full-scale. Source

Jun 23, 1936

Birth of the Modern Computer

Unlike its predecessors (or current competition, the Z1) the Turing Machine (created by Alan Turing) functioned by following a long series of logical instructions, the same way modern computers do. This served as the inspiration for the way modern computers work. Like the Z1, the exact date of the Turing Machine's creation is unclear. a href='https://www.wolframscience.com/prizes/tm23/turingmachine.html' >Source</a>

Jun 22, 1938

First Programmable Computer

Konrad Zuse creates the Z1, a computer of monstrous size that had the ability to take input from a punched tape. It was binary electrically driven and very limited in use, but it was still a revolutionary step forward in computer history. The exact date the Z1 was constructed is unknown, but it is sometime within 1938. Source

Feb 5, 1944

Computers Used for War

The Colossus, created by Tommy Flowers, was first demonstrated as being functional in December 1943 and first used on the fifth of February, 1944. It was the world's first programmable electric computer and its purpose was to assist in cracking encrypted German messages. Source

Apr 29, 1952