Ferranti Mark I

Mark 1 or Mark I computer history. In 1948, the British government developed the Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM), which while simplistic, showed the potential for the Stored-Program Electronic Computer. The British then quickly developed the Manchester Mark 1, a more powerful and usable machine that was used primarily for scientific research. By late 1948, the government had commissioned Ferranti Ltd. to produce the Ferranti Mark 1, the first commercially available computer. It debuted in 1951 and the following year, the University of Toronto purchased the second machine and eventually used it in the design of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The links included herein relate to the Ferranti Mark I.