University of Cambridge EDSAC

1949 - 1st generation system

The University of Cambridge EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) was one of the earliest electronic digital stored-program computers. It was built at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory in England, and began operating in 1949. The EDSAC was designed by Maurice Wilkes and his team, who built it using vacuum tube technology. It was used for scientific and engineering calculations, as well as for programming education. The EDSAC was also notable for being the first computer to use the concept of a "subroutine" and for its use of a mercury delay line memory, which stored data as sound waves in mercury. The EDSAC was in operation until 1958 and was decommissioned in 1973. It is considered a pioneering achievement in the history of computing and had a significant influence on the development of later computers. The EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) was one of the earliest electronic computers, built at the University of Cambridge in the UK in the late 1940s. Some games that were developed for the EDSAC include: "OXO" (also known as "Noughts and Crosses" or "Tic-Tac-Toe") was one of the first computer games ever created, and was developed for the EDSAC by Alexander S. Douglas in 1952. The game was played on an oscilloscope and involved two players taking turns to place Xs and Os on a 3x3 grid. "Baby" was another early game developed for the EDSAC by Christopher Strachey in 1951. It was a simulation of a baby's growth and development, and involved players inputting commands to feed, play with, and take care of a virtual baby. "Galactic Vibrations" was a game developed by David Childs in 1952. The game was played on an oscilloscope and involved players controlling a spaceship and trying to destroy alien ships while avoiding obstacles. It is worth noting that since the EDSAC was one of the first computers, the games were not as sophisticated as the games today, and the games were primarily used for educational and research purpose.