👉 Antique computing refers to the early forms of computers that were developed before the widespread adoption of digital technology in the mid-20th century. These machines, often mechanical or electromechanical, were primarily based on vacuum tubes, which were bulky, consumed significant power, and generated considerable heat. Notable examples include Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine (conceived in the 1830s but never fully built), the Z3 by Konrad Zuse (1941), and the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) from the 1940s, which was one of the first general-purpose electronic computers. These early computers were revolutionary in their time, enabling complex calculations for scientific research, military applications, and eventually, laying the groundwork for modern computing. They were often large, expensive, and required skilled operators to manage their intricate mechanisms and programming processes.