👉 British computing has a rich and influential history, tracing back to the early 20th century with pioneers like Alan Turing and the development of the Colossus, the world's first programmable electronic computer, during World War II. Post-war, Britain played a significant role in the creation of the Manchester Baby, the first stored-program computer, and the Ferranti Mark 1, one of the first general-purpose computers. The UK was also at the forefront of the development of the UNIVAC I, which was used for the first time to print data on paper. In the 1960s and 1970s, British institutions like the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Cambridge contributed to the creation of early personal computers, such as the ZX80 and ZX81. More recently, British tech companies like ARM have revolutionized the industry with their architecture used in smartphones and computers worldwide. The UK continues to be a hub for innovation, research, and development in computing, with ongoing contributions in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum computing.
