👉 The earliest significant project in the history of computing can be traced back to the 1940s with the development of the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). Initially conceived to calculate artillery firing tables for the U.S. Army during World War II, ENIAC was a massive machine consisting of over 18,000 vacuum tubes, 1,200 crystal diodes, and 7,200 resistors, occupying a large room and consuming substantial power. It was programmable using switches and cables, marking a pivotal shift from mechanical calculators to electronic computing. Although not designed for general-purpose use, ENIAC laid the foundational principles for future computer architecture and programming.
