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Z3 (computer)

TLDR: The Z3 was the world's first working programmable, fully automatic digital computer. It was designed by Konrad Zuse and completed in 1941. The Z3 used relays and had a clock frequency of about 5-10 Hz. It stored program code on punched film and had a memory of 64 words. The Z3 was not put into everyday operation and was destroyed during World War II. A replica of the Z3 is now on display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

The Z3 was a groundbreaking computer designed by Konrad Zuse in 1938 and completed in 1941. It was the first fully automatic digital computer that could be programmed to perform different tasks. The Z3 used relays, which are like tiny switches, to perform calculations. It had a clock frequency of about 5-10 Hz, which means it could perform about 5-10 operations per second.

The Z3 stored program code on punched film, similar to how music used to be stored on cassette tapes. It had a memory capacity of 64 words, with each word being 22 bits long. The Z3 also had a special keyboard for input and a row of lamps to display the results.

Although the Z3 was a remarkable achievement, it was never put into everyday operation because it was not considered vital during World War II. The original Z3 was destroyed during an Allied bombardment of Berlin in 1943. However, a fully functioning replica of the Z3 was built in 1961 and is now on display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

The Z3 was a precursor to modern computers and is considered to be the world's first working programmable computer. It paved the way for the development of more advanced computers that we use today. Thanks to the Z3 and its predecessors, Konrad Zuse is often credited as one of the inventors of the computer.

In summary, the Z3 was a groundbreaking computer designed by Konrad Zuse in the 1940s. It was the world's first working programmable computer and used relays to perform calculations. Although it was not put into everyday operation, it laid the foundation for the development of modern computers. A replica of the Z3 is now on display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.