History of computing

   During the Second World War, Britain has achieved some success in hacking of encrypted German negotiations. Code German cipher machine Enigma was subjected to analysis using electromechanical machines, which were called "bombs". This "bomb", designed by Alan Turing and Gordon Uelshmanom (born Gordon Welchman), excluded a number of options by inference, implemented electrically. Most of the options led to a contradiction, a few remaining could be tested by hand.

   The Germans also developed a series of teleprinter encryption systems, quite different from the "Enigma". Lorenz SZ 40/42 machine used for high-level Army communications. The first interceptions of transmissions of such vehicles were registered in 1941. To break this code, in secrecy, was set up machine Colossus »(Colossus). The specification developed by Professor Max Newman (Max Newman) and his colleagues build Colossus Mk I performed in a research lab Mail of London, and took 11 months, the work performed Tommy Flowers (Tommy Flowers), etc.

   Colossus was the first totally electronic computing device. It used a large number of vacuum tubes, data entry was performed with a punched tape. Colossus can be configured to perform various operations of Boolean logic, but it was not Turing-complete machine. In addition to the Colossus Mk I, was collected nine models Mk II. Information about the existence of this machine was kept secret until 1970. Winston Churchill personally issued an order for their destruction into pieces no larger than a human hand. Because of its secrecy, "Colossus" is not mentioned in many works on the history of computers.