Zuse Z3: this is how the Computer works
The Zuse Z3 is the first digital computing machine in the world. The computer is, according to its inventor, Konrad Zuse named, who built the Z3 in 1941 in Berlin. Three years later, the Z3 in the war was destroyed.
- With a weight of around a Tonne of the Zuse Z3 was not exactly a light weight. The computer was built like a wall, with a front stationary panel.
- The Z3 works with the so-called binary floating-point arithmetic. Around 600 Relays are for the Addition, subtraction, Division and multiplication of Numbers is responsible.
- A further 1400 Relay to form the memory of the Z3. Despite the large number of Relays, the storage capacity is by today's standards is absurd low. Only 64 words, each 22 Bits can be stored in the Z3.
- The heart of the Z3, the clock reel, which is driven by an electric motor. Per second the clock roll power Of 5.3 Turns. With each Rotation, the Relay will be controlled. The memory of the Z3 includes only 200 bytes.
- A paper tape reader, several programs were able to be read. Among other things, the flutter frequencies of the aircraft were calculated.
- Data can not read the computer. These must be entered using the keyboard manually. To link to all of the Relays and other components to each other, were used for about 30,000 of cable.
Zuse Z3: For many people, the first Computer
- The Zuse Z3 is also referred to frequently as the first Computer. In fact, in 1944 in the United States built ENIAC, by Definition, the first Computer, however.
- According to the Definition, a Computer must be electronic, programmable and Turing-powerful. The Z3 was only programmable. Later, researchers found that he could be in a roundabout way, is also Turing powerful.
- The ENIAC used also a decimal system and not, like the Zuse Z3 and all of today's computers, the binary system. Therefore, the Z3 is referred to especially in Germany to continue as the first Computer.
In the next tip we will explain exactly how a modern Computer works.
