When I studied my Electronics and Communications diploma (60+ years ago) we had this massive computer that took up the whole room. Big transformers and big valves all lighting up for a 1 and off for a 0.
The input and output was a teletype writer.
Language was Basic.
You could give it a problem like 2+ 13 - 6/5, wait a couple of minuites and out printed the answer.
Brilliant.
Then latter on I worked on a real-time Collins Radio Company Computer and Control System.
Huge big rack, water cooled with Machine Language Programming.
We used to try and fix everything on site as with a major fault like the huge 65k, water cooled memory, cost a fortune to send it back from Australia to Collins USA to get fixed.
The memory was all these ferrite chores with the read, write and sense leads in the middle of the chores.
Truely magnificant machine.