Charles Babbage

Charles Babbage (1791-1871) was an English inventor who taught mathematics at Cambridge University. He is credited for having invented a viable mechanical computer equivalent to modern digital computers.

Babbage' first computer, called the Difference Engine, was a special purpose calculator built in the early 1800's and used to compute naval navigation charts. The Difference Engine was Babbage's most significant completed project, although recognition of it came long after Babbage's death in the mid-twentieth century when the electronic computer was invented.

His second computer, never quite finished, was called the Analytical Engine. It was general-purpose, calculated based on the binary system, and used punched cards as input. It was especially novel for being able to branch on result of previous instruction. Ada Lovelace, daughter to poet Lord Byron, is remembered as the "first computer programmer" for her writings about potential use of the Analytical Engine.

Unfortunately for Babbage, the Analytical Engine was never quite completed due to a lack of accuracy in the technology for machine parts, and due also to financial problems.