Disputed Origins
First General-Purpose Computer
Contested chronologyGermany / UK / USAKonrad Zuse, Tommy Flowers, John Mauchly, J. Presper Eckert
The Experience
Programmability, electronic operation, and generality arrived separately.
Impact
Computing history resists a single clean starting point.
Strategy & Logistics
Built on prior experiments, accumulated knowledge, and sustained preparation.
Cost & Sacrifice
Measured in time, resources, risk, and the consequences carried by those involved.
Milestone
1941–1946
Place
Germany / UK / USA
Complete registry record