Computer Science Day in Russia on December 4: history and traditions of the holiday

The launch of the first domestic programmable machine became the starting point for the digital era in our country, giving Russia not only a holiday, but also technological sovereignty. For more information about the Day of Computer Science, see the Izvestia article.

December 4 — Computer Science Day: from MESM to the Digital Revolution

On December 4, Russia celebrates Computer Science Day, a holiday dedicated to the development of information technology, data science and their role in modern society. The date was chosen in honor of the 1948 event: it was then that the Small Electronic Calculating Machine (MESM), the first Soviet electronic computer created under the leadership of Sergei Lebedev, was put into operation. MESM has become not only a technological breakthrough of its time, but also a symbol of the beginning of the digital era in the country.

The idea of establishing a professional computer science day belongs to the staff of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology (MIET), who in 2005 proposed to formalize this date. Since 2006, December 4 has been included in the list of memorable dates in Russia, and since then the holiday has been celebrated annually in schools, universities, IT companies and research centers across the country.

The historical path of computer science

The history of computer science as a science goes far beyond the XX century. Its roots lie in ancient civilizations, where the foundations of information transmission and storage were formed. In ancient times, Greece, Egypt, and China used systems for counting, encrypting, and storing data, which became the first algorithmic practices.

In the Middle Ages, the science of computing received a new impetus thanks to the writings of Al-Khorezmi, a mathematician from Khorezm. His work laid the foundation for the concept of an algorithm and influenced the development of computing technology in the future. Leonardo Fibonacci played an important role in Europe at that time, popularizing the Arabic numeral system, which replaced complex Roman numerals and made arithmetic operations easier and more accurate.

The 17th century was the era of the first mechanical calculating machines. Blaise Pascal created a device for addition and subtraction, and Gottfried Leibniz improved it by adding multiplication and division functions. In the 19th century, Charles Babbage proposed a project for an Analytical engine capable of performing any computational task. His colleague Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithms for this machine and is considered the first programmer in history.

The 20th century has become a time of rapid development of computing technology. Relay-based electromechanical machines appeared, and in 1946 the first fully electronic ENIAC computer was created in the USA. In the USSR, the school of computer science was formed thanks to the achievements of Sergei Lebedev and his team, who created MESM. It was this machine that became a symbol of Soviet science and a starting point for the further development of high technologies.

The term "computer science" was first introduced by the German scientist Karl Steinbuch in 1957, defining it as the science of automated information processing. Since then, computer science has developed into an independent scientific discipline with global significance.

Traditions of celebrating Computer Science Day

Today, Computer Science Day is celebrated in all regions of Russia. The festive events cover both professional communities and educational institutions. Conferences, forums and round tables are held in IT companies and research centers, and the best industry specialists receive awards for achievements in the field of technology.

Schools and universities traditionally hold open lessons and workshops, "Hour of Code" campaigns, intellectual marathons and competitions for schoolchildren, students and young professionals. Such events allow you to get acquainted with the professions of the future and learn about modern technologies: artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, digital security and cloud services.

Educational institutions use the holiday as an occasion to present their own methodological developments and online courses. Young people actively participate in programming Olympiads, hackathons, and contests to create games and applications. As a result, Computer Science Day becomes not only a professional, but also an educational platform that motivates students to study science and technology.

Historical facts

The history of computer science is full of interesting facts. The MESM occupied almost 60 square meters, and its performance was incomparable with modern smartphones. However, it is precisely on these early developments that today's technological revolution is based.

In 1983, the first virus for personal computers was created, Elk Cloner, authored by Richard Skrenta, a 15-year-old schoolboy. The first webcam appeared in Cambridge and was used to monitor students' coffee makers. And the name of the Google search engine comes from the mathematical term googol, a number consisting of one and one hundred zeros.

Today, Computer Science Day unites professionals, teachers and students, inspiring a new generation to create the technologies of the future. This is not only a celebration of science, but also a symbol of the constant movement towards digital progress, new discoveries and opportunities for Russia in the global technological space.

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