👉 Begun computing, also known as early or foundational computing, refers to the period from the invention of the first electronic computers in the mid-20th century to the development of modern computing. This era marked the transition from mechanical and electromechanical systems, like Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine and Herman Hollerith's tabulating machines, to electronic computers that utilized transistors and integrated circuits. Pioneers like Alan Turing, John von Neumann, and Grace Hopper laid the groundwork for computer architecture, programming languages, and software development. During this time, computers were primarily used for complex calculations, scientific research, and military applications, with limited accessibility to the general public. The advent of mainframe computers in the 1950s and personal computing in the 1970s and 1980s gradually democratized access to computing power, setting the stage for the digital revolution we experience today.
