Personal computers, also called PCs, are used in a variety of ways. PCs have a wide range of uses, but the typical PC is primarily used for work, education, and gaming. Today, a common PC typically includes the system itself, a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But how did computers get to where they are today? Computers themselves are devices used to perform certain tasks or operations. So what was the first computer? Since there are many different classifications of computers, there is no easy answer. There are abacuses also known as "counting frames", which are calculation tools used for basic mathematics such as addition, division, subtraction and multiplication. They made their first appearance between 2700 and 2300 BC (Ifrah). However, the first mechanical computer was created by Charles Babbage in 1822 (Babbage). Therefore, computers have been around for centuries, but it was not until the mid-1900s that computers became more advanced and developed. In 1943, the first digital computer was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly of the University of Pennsylvania. This computer lasted 3 years and took up over 1,800 square feet and weighed a total of 50 tons. This computer was the first digital computer to be excluded by a judge because it was the first fully functional (Bellis). Continuing the story, the first computer that stored memory was developed by a group of codebreakers working for the Marines during World War II and was the first computer capable of performing tasks with limited memory. Later, MIT created the "Whirlwind Machine", which revolutionized computers with RAM, also known as "random access memory", a type of computer memory accessible without the need for paper. . Accessed November 25, 2013, from http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/history.html(Babbage), University of Minnesota (April 3, 2013). Charles Babbage Institute: Who was Charles Babbage? Accessed November 25, 2013, from http://www.cbi.umn.edu/about/babbage.htmlBellis, M. (nd). John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry – The first fully electronic computer. Retrieved November 25, 2013, from http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa050898.htm(Strickland) Strickland, J. (February 26, 2009). How Moore's Law Works. Accessed November 25, 2013, from http://www.howstuffworks.com/moores-law.htmZander, D. (February 20, 2013). The parts of a computer and what they do. Retrieved November 25, 2013 from http://www.build-my-home-computer.com/parts-of-a-computer.htmlNote: I have already built a PC and know all the parts, I am including this link for the reader if interested