In 1837, Charles Babbage designed an early computer. He called it the Analytical Engine. Unfortunately, Babbage died before he could build it. But there's a campaign underway to make one using the original blueprints:
Link via blastr | Photo: Daily Telegraph
Previously: Andrew Carol's LEGO Difference Engine
Elements of the engine have been built over the last 173 years, but this would be the first complete working model of the machine.
"It's an inspirational piece of equipment," said Mr Graham-Cumming, author of the Geek Atlas.
"A hundred years ago, before computers were available, Babbage had envisaged this machine.
"What you realise when you read Babbage's papers is that this was the first real computer.
"It had expandable memory, a CPU, microcode, a printer, a plotter and was programmable with punch cards.
"It was the size of a small lorry and powered by steam but it was recognisable as a computer."
Link via blastr | Photo: Daily Telegraph
Previously: Andrew Carol's LEGO Difference Engine
http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/
I was lucky enough to see the second Engine in the San Jose Computer Museum last year...it really is an amazing piece of engineering. The D.E. is about the size of a fridge, and has a printer attached. The analytical engine, which would be a true computer, would as the article mentioned be much larger. The D.E. is cranked by hand, but the A.E. would require steam, by Jove.
There's a book by Doron Swade which recounts the history of the Difference Engine, its failure, and the struggle to make a replica in the late 20th century.
http://www.amazon.com/Difference-Engine-Charles-Babbage-Computer/dp/0142001449
http://techdictionary.com/resources/greekcomputer/index.html