Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer (EDSAC)

The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer (EDSAC) became the world’s first electronically stored program system in May 1949. Maurice Wilkes and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge Mathematics Lab are credited with the EDSAC’s design, which was used mostly as a tool for mathematicians. The machine featured cathode ray tube displays to show the hardware’s electronic operations for diagnostic purposes, as well as mercury delay line tanks for main store (512 words of 36 bits) and half megacycle/S serial bit rate. Both input and output used paper tape. The links included herein relate to EDSAC.