What was Colossus?
Q: What was Colossus?
A: Colossus was the world's first programmable electronic digital computer. It was used by British code breakers during World War II to cryptanalyze messages sent between the German High Command and army field commanders.
Q: Who designed Colossus?
A: A group of Post Office telephone engineers led by Tommy Flowers designed Colossus.
Q: When did the first Colossus machine become operational?
A: The first machine, Mark 1, became operational in December 1943 and solved its first problem in February 1944.
Q: How many Colossus computers were in use at the end of World War II?
A: Ten Colossus computers were in use at the end of World War II.
Q: What did British codebreakers call the teleprinter messages they intercepted from Germany?
A: British codebreakers called the teleprinter messages "Fish".
Q: What did they call the German coding machine and its coded messages?
A: They called the German coding machine and its coded messages "Tunny".
Q: What is known about what happened to all of the secret Colussus computers after WWII ended?
A: After WWII ended, all of the secret Colussus computers were taken apart and their designs destroyed so that no one would find out about them.
