👉 Victorian computing, spanning from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, marked a significant transition from manual and analog computing methods to the use of mechanical and electromechanical devices. During this period, inventors like Charles Babbage conceptualized the Analytical Engine, a complex mechanical computer designed to perform any mathematical calculation. Although never fully built during his lifetime, Babbage's designs laid the groundwork for modern computing. Simultaneously, the invention of the Difference Engine by Babbage's assistant, Joseph Clement, demonstrated practical applications of mechanical computation. The era also saw the introduction of electromechanical devices, such as the Tabulating Machine by Herman Hollerith, which automated data processing for census purposes. These innovations collectively paved the way for the rapid advancements in computing technology that would follow in the 20th century.
