“IBM 701 frame” by Dan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Today, we celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the release of IBM’s first commercial computer, the IBM 701. On May 21st, 1952, IBM revealed its new groundbreaking machine to the world. While one of the first computers available for public purchase, it was described by IBM at the time as a ‘defense calculator’, to help increase sales.
Projected to only sell about 5 of these models, sales exceeded expectations as 19 were eventually sold to the government, large companies, and universities. Despite its limited power compared to today’s technology, the IBM 701, utilizing vacuum tube logic, played a crucial role in computing history and was a significant commercial achievement.
From Defense Calculator to Computer
Previous data-processing machines used external plugboards for programming, unlike modern computers that store programs and data together. The IBM 701, later called the IBM 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine, marked a shift from these machines.
701, resembling modern computers in structure, had far less power. It was IBM’s inaugural venture into mass-produced, stored-program computing, revolutionizing data handling from its electromechanical predecessors to digital computing. Thomas J. Watson, Chairman for IBM at the time, believed IBM’s company legacy hinged on the IBM 701’s success, driving immense company effort. Initially, the computer market was tiny, but it exploded in growth as computers such as the 701 began to hit the commercial market.
The 701, requiring about a thousand square feet for installation, was the pioneer of IBM’s 700-7000 series, which evolved over time and included both scientific and business models. These models varied in architecture and computational approach, illustrating the dynamic advancements and challenges in early computing development.
The Wrap
As the foundation of IBM’s successful 700-7000 series, the 701 illustrated a significant leap in computing, from electromechanical to digital. Its success, crucially backed by Thomas J. Watson’s belief in its importance, not only fueled IBM’s dominance in the computing industry but also catalyzed the expansion of the computer market, setting the stage for the technological advancements that followed.
Go Deeper –> IBM Announces the “Defense Calculator”, Model 701 – This Day in Tech History
