'Computers were the real discovery of moon pioneers'

12:52 20th July 2009

On the anniversary of the first moon landings more has been revealed of the powerful computers that made the expedition possible.

The Eagle module that took astronauts to the moon's surface housed one of the smallest computers ever made - the LM Guidance Computer that was designed to help astronauts with complex calculations.

Writing in the Telegraph, Adrian Berry who was at ground control during the landings in 1969, notes the machine was not simply a calculator: "It was a fully-fledged, programmable computer. It was the shape of things to come".

He observes that it was only eight years after the moon landing that the first home computers were made.

The communications revolution may not have arrived for many years later had Neil Armstrong not taken his first steps on the lunar surface, suggests Mr Berry.

Global computer sales are predicted to slow thanks to the recession, analysts claim, although with almost every firm using computers the skills needed to master their complexities will always be in demand.

Computer courses can be of use to workers retraining and further studies on web development courses can help people looking for work in the industry. ADNFCR-1667-ID-19272437-ADNFCR