Charles Babbage

(December 26, 1791 - October 18, 1871)

(Initiator of the First Computer Machinery)

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Charles Babbage (born December 26, 1791 and died October 18, 1871 at age 79 years) is a British mathematician who originated the idea of a computer that can be programmed. Some of the machines he developed though not complete, can now be viewed at London's Science Museum.

In 1991, using Babbage's original plans, a differential engine was developed and this machine can function perfectly, proving that Babbage's idea of this machine can indeed be implemented.

Charles Babbage was born in England, most likely on the road 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London. There are several opinions about the date of Babbage's birth. Obituary published in The Times mentions his birth on December 26, 1792. But a few days later a nephew of Babbage wrote that Babbage actually was born a year earlier, in 1791.

At that time, calculations using mathematical tables often have errors. Babbage wanted to develop a mechanical way of performing calculations, so as to reduce the calculation error is often done by humans. At that time, Babbage got inspiration from the development of calculating machines carried out by Wilhelm Schickard, Blaise Pascal, and Gottfried Leibniz.

Babbage's early ideas about the engine is written in the form of a letter he wrote to Sir Humphrey Davy in 1822.