The world’s first general purpose computer turns 75 The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), built at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, sparked the ‘birth of the computer age’ thanks to a team of women programmers. Jean Bartik (left) and Frances Spence operating the ENIAC’s main control panel. Bartik was present on the day of ENIAC’s unveiling to the world, and even helped troubleshoot a switch issue the night before its unveiling, but her efforts, and those of ENIAC’s five other women programmers, were nearly forgotten.
On Feb. 14, 1946, the world’s first general purpose electronic computer was introduced to the world. The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), constructed at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering (now Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science), was touted as “an amazing machine which applies electronic speeds for the first time t