Imagine an era before smartphones, laptops, and PCs. A time when even basic computing machinery was an arcane niche limited to government labs and large universities. Against this backdrop, an eccentric engineer dared to dream of "a computer in every home" – creating a device that would set this revolutionary concept in motion.
The Visionary: Edmund Berkeley Envisions Intelligent Machines for the Individual
In the 1940s, computers were seen as exclusively the realm of the expert. But even in this early period, some visionaries pondered artificial intelligence and "thinking machines". Primary among them was Edmund Berkeley – a brilliant technologist entranced by logic systems and their possibilities.
During visits to facilities like Bell Labs and naval computing labs during WWII, Berkeley gained firsthand experience programming room-sized mainframes and sequence-controlled calculators. This exposure convinced him that computers could become accessible personal tools instead of isolated industrial beasts.
In 1949, Berkeley wrote Giant Brains or Machines That Think – one of the earliest books explaining advanced computation ability to the scientifically-curious public. Berkeley concluded by outlining his idea for the first computer built specifically for individual home use. The era of the personal computer was still decades away, but this singular concept would spark its genesis.
Bringing Berkeley‘s Vision to Life: The Genesis of "Simon"
Propelled by growing societal fascination with computing advancement, Berkeley formed an engineering collaboration to realize his concept for an accessible electronic brain. After securing funding from his publisher, he outlined an initial design in Radio Electronics magazine in October 1950.
Berkeley gave his computer project a friendly name to make it approachable – Simon – but executing the build proved complex. The core technology was deceptively simple, using an array of mechanical relays and surplus parts. However, substantial engineering effort by Berkeley‘s partners William Porter and Columbia graduate students Robert Jensen and Andrew Vall transformed the prototype into a functioning machine. Their enhancements included:
- Switching system enabling program execution flow
- Synchronization between components
- Error detection capability
- Independent power supply
By late 1950, the first successful Simon was complete – just 12 months after Berkeley‘s initial publication.
Inside This Early "Personal Computer"
At its heart, Simon remained technologically straightforward. Its key physical components included:
- 129 electromagnetic mechanical relays – Acted as on/off switches to direct signals
- Stepping switch – Allowed progressive signal routing
- Paper tape reader – Programmed Simon by inputting punched instruction tapes
- Registers and arithmetic unit – Stored data and performed calculations
- Lights and switches – Enabled basic output and input
Despite low computing bandwidth compared to today, this system could handle impressive capabilities for the era. Sources estimate Simon cycled through roughly 300 operations per second – outpacing early electronic computers that occupied entire rooms!
Programming was accomplished by encoding instructions mechanically into paper tape. Loops were impossible since the tape simply fed continuously through the reader. But the machine could execute decision branches based on selective output from the arithmetic unit.
Functionality: A Tiny Slice of Modern Computing Power
Simon concentrated computing functionality into just four primary operations:
Binary Addition – Sum two numerical values in base 2
Negation – Flip 0 bits to 1 and vice versa
Greater/Less Than Evaluation – Compare relative magnitude of values
Conditional Selection – Choose output based on arithmetic flags
While incredibly basic compared to modern systems, these functions were revolutionary in 1950! Simon could be directed by programmed tape to calculate sums, evaluate relations, or even play Nim against a human opponent.
Despite such achievements, limitations abounded. Beyond arithmetic, Simon lacked ability for non-numeric operations. And all output relied on reading lamps and switches – no speedy printouts or screen display. Much like early automobiles, Simon represented more of a proof-of-concept than truly practical machine.
Legacy of a Computing Milestone
The public debut of Simon in 1950 shook popular assumptions. Here was an interactive "giant brain" not just for faceless bureaucrats – but for ordinary people to explore firsthand. Simon captured headlines as the smallest computer in existence. Scientific American called it "the first small ‘personal computer‘".
By 1959, over 400 units had sold – mainly to technical hobbyists drawn by the novelty. Despite limitations, Simon pioneered concepts that led toward modern personal computing:
- Affordable interactive technology
- Binary math fundamentals
- Custom programs
- Desktop form factor
Most importantly, it fulfilled the vision of inventor Edmund Berkeley – putting crude but usable computational power directly into the hands of individuals. The Simon helped drive an irreversible shift: computers were no longer remote esoteric devices, but intimate tools for human minds to harness.
Lasting Impact: Sparking the Personal Computing Transformation
In the decades following Simon‘s debut, its demonstrated concepts seeded a generation of improved successors. By the early 1970s, specialized personal workstations were appearing for engineers – followed soon by integrated consumer products like the Xerox Alto and Apple II microcomputer.
The "affordable computer for everyone" had progressed from curiosity to reality. As costs plummeted and capabilities soared, owning a personal computer for education, business, and recreation became commonplace. Today over 1.5 billion PCs populate homes and offices globally [1]. Simon‘s primitive architecture bears no resemblance to these machines hundreds of millions of times more powerful. But by proving such a machine was even possible, Simon sparked the genesis of this ubiquitous era.
The innovative Simon device reminds us that transformative technology need not originate in corporate R&D labs. Even machines built in garages from spare parts can change the world when powered by daring imagination.
Simon Sources:
[1] Gartner.com 2022 Device Forecast