The Hungarian John von Neumann Computer Society, supported by its members and the Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology, is going to set a new tradition – to celebrate the Day of the Hungarian IT in every year on 21st of January.
The Hungarian IT Day was first celebrated on 21st January 1959. It was the day when the press announced the successful start of the very first electronic computer, manufactured in Hungary with the name “M-3”. This machine launched the new era of computers. The M-3 construction itself was done by the Soviet Union, but many talented young Hungarian engineers and mathematicians contributed to its creation. It was the first big success of the Cybernetics Research Group of the Hungarian Scientific Academy (MTA). 63 years ago the M-3 immediately provided important services, i.e. despite its limited capacity, the Hungarian mathematicians and cyberneticists proved the practical usefulness of the computer with structural calculations on the Elisabeth Bridge, one of Budapest’s cable-stayed bridges on Danube River, without supporting pillars.
You can find detailed history of installing M-3 here, written by one of the key members of the research team.
Because John von Neumann Society‘ s mission to preserve and promote the merit of information technology, they dedicated a conference to remembering the birth of Hungarian IT, and celebrated it as the Day of the Hungarian IT. The conference gave an insight into the trends and tendencies of the 60+ years of the Hungarian computer science and industry and the work of pioneering Hungarian specialists, from John von Neumann to present days. The event was opened in front of hundreds of online participants by the Deputy State Secretary of Ministry of Innovation and Technology, who presented the latest programmes aiming to create an “e-Hungary” in every area of the digital life.
