ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

PDP-8

Imagine a really old computer, like the kind your grandparents might have used when they were young, but even older than that. This computer is called a pdp-8.

The pdp-8 was made over 50 years ago and it was one of the first computers people could use in their offices and homes. It was small enough to fit on a desk, which was rare for computers back then.

Inside the pdp-8, there were lots of tiny switches, like a light switch you might have in your bedroom. These switches told the computer what to do. When someone typed in a command, like "add these numbers together," the switches would turn on and off in a certain pattern that the computer could understand.

The pdp-8 didn't have much memory, which means it couldn't remember a lot of things at once. It could only keep track of a few things at a time. It also didn't have a fancy screen like the computers we use now. Instead, it used lights to show what was going on inside the machine.

Even though the pdp-8 was very basic compared to computers today, it was still very important. It helped people do calculations and store information in a way that was much faster and more efficient than doing it by hand. It paved the way for the computers we use today, and without it, we might not have such advanced technology.