What qualifies an invention as great? A good invention would be one that makes some aspects of life easier. A great invention goes further. It becomes ingrained in society as part of everyday life, constantly improves, and leads to the rapid creation of ever-greater inventions. I believe that no invention since 1898 fits this description better than the electronic computer. Since its creation, no device has changed as much, and as quickly, as the computer. The original computer had nothing in common with the one we know now. It was a simple device known as an abacus, a mathematical tool that may have been invented in the 4th century BC by the Babylonians (PBS). Before a new computer could be created, a few things had to happen. In the 8th century AD, Arabic numerals were introduced to Europe. Arabic numerals were important because they used zeros as placeholders for tens, which made math easier. Another simplification of mathematics occurred in 1614 with John Napier, the creator of logarithms. Logarithms allowed mathematicians to use addition and subtraction for multiplication and division (PBS) problems. Everything was ready for the era of the mechanical calculator to begin. The first mechanical calculator was built in 1623 by Wilhelm Schickard. It worked with six digits and carried these digits across the columns. While it worked, it never got past the prototype stage. Another mechanical calculator, this time with eight digits, was built by Blaise Pascal in 1642. This calculator was, however, prone to errors and jams (PBS). In the early 1820s, Charles Babbage conceived the idea of ​​the "difference engine." . It was intended to be a steam-powered calculator for printing astronomical tables (PBS). He attempted to build it, but... middle of paper... er, that dream came true. However, like the Internet, robots come with responsibilities. Robots are becoming more mobile every day and could be used in many useful ways, but they can also be used in destructive ways. The computer is an amazing invention that is still changing today. Computers thousands of times more powerful than the giant ENIAC machine can be found in the pockets of almost everyone in the United States. This article itself was written using a computer. The Internet has become a powerful amalgam of information from billions of people and the center of almost everything we do. With so much power in the hands of so many people, it is important that humanity takes great care of the responsibility entrusted to us. This way this glorious device will not go to waste and will continue to benefit the world for centuries to come.