Are you a computer enthusiast or simply curious about the history and technology behind computers? From the first-ever virus to the fastest supercomputer, we have compiled a list of 10 exciting computer facts you may not know!
Computer Facts 1 - Creeper, the first Virus
In 1971, the first-ever computer virus called “Creeper” was created. It spread across files and computers, displaying a message that said, “I’m the creeper; catch if you can!” This virus replicated itself and consumed the computer’s memory, causing it to malfunction.
Computer Facts 2 - The Fugaku supercomputer is the world's fastest computer
The Fugaku supercomputer is currently the world’s fastest computer in Kobe, Japan. It has 7,630,848 cores and can perform 442,010 teraFLOPs, requiring 29,899 kilowatts.
Computer Facts 3 - Google uses 1,000 computers in 0.2 seconds
How does Google search through billions of web pages in seconds? It uses automated programs called spiders or crawlers to help generate search results using 1,000 computers in 0.2 seconds.
Computer Facts 4 - The first-ever computer weighed over 27 Tons
The first programmable digital computer, ENIAC, was created in 1945 and weighed over 27 tons.
Computer Facts 5 - The QWERTY keyboard was created to let people type more quickly
The QWERTY keyboard was designed to make typing more efficient.
Computer Facts 6 - The first mouse was made from wood!
The first-ever computer mouse, designed by Doug Engelbart in 1964, was made of wood and had two rollers and a button on top.
Computer Facts 7 - Every day, about 317 million new viruses are discovered
Malware, including viruses, is discovered all the time. Approximately 317 million new viruses are found daily, with around 5,000 new malware released each month.
Computer Facts 8 - Before we had Windows, it was supposed to be named Interface Manager
Microsoft’s Windows operating system was initially supposed to be called “Interface Manager.” However, Bill Gates decided to change the name before its release.
Computer Facts 9 - The first 1-gigabyte hard drive weighed as much as a refrigerator
In 1980, IBM released the first 1-gigabyte hard drive, which weighed 550 pounds, roughly the size of a refrigerator.
Computer Facts 10 - Firefox is not a fox!
Finally, Mozilla Firefox is not named after a fox. It is named after a red panda, an endangered species native to Asia.
Did you learn something new about computers today? These facts show how far computers have come since their inception and provide a glimpse into the future of technology.
This blog post is based on information from Teach Your Kids Code.
To access relevant information, check out the following blogs:
- Kangaroo Math Blog for Mathematics
- Kancil Science Blog for Science
- Beaver Computational Thinking Blog for Computer Science
- Kijang Economy Blog for Economics.
