rpassed them with ease. Even so, Alan Turing is considered the most significant spur of the computer revolution. After the first physical machines were constructed, many new endeavors were undertaken. Machines that could calculate on new levels and carry out more complex tasks started to emerge - one of which was the ENIAC. ENIAC, unveiled on February 16, 1946, was the most powerful computer of its time. It was also one of the largest. It was a 30-ton literal labyrinth. It consisted of 17,468 vacuum tubes and 6,000 switches. It ate up a hefty $486,804.22 in funds. The goliath was so demanding that upon its first activation, all the lights of Philadelphia dimmed in a circular wave emanating from the university in which it was housed. The magnificent computers processing capability was exactly what scientists of t he time period had lacked since the beginning of time. It was quite literally a thousand times greater in speed than any computer to date. John V. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, two military workers were responsible. The ENIAC could multiply in 2.8 milliseconds. It could divide in 24 milliseconds. ENIAC was truly an electronic whiz kid. (Slater,65). A standard (or the time period) desktop computer took twenty hours to process a trajectory based calculation. It took the ENIAC 20 seconds. What forced the ENIAC the lower hand was the incredible inconvenience of rewiring the machine for every calculation type.Over time computers increased in complexity and usage. World War II was coming to an end and it was time for the computer age to be publicized. Thomas J. Watson (Sr.) an accomplished salesman took on the task. During his life, he was shuffled around through a number of large businesses(including NCR - National Cash Register Company and CTR - Tabulating-Recording Company), working his way to the top, and then being forced to jump ship. He was even served a one year jail sentence after being accused of tryi...
