TL;DR: Five fun computer facts — plus the modern facts every UK business actually needs to know.
Over the years computers have shaped the world — and they’ve advanced at a remarkable pace. Some facts about them are simply good fun, while others have real consequences for how you run and protect a business today. Here are five interesting facts about computers to start with, followed by a few bonus facts that matter more than ever for UK SMEs.
The first modern computers were electronic calculating machines built during the Second World War. Each one was so large it could take up a whole room — a long way from the laptop or phone you’re probably reading this on.
Only about 10% of the world’s currency exists as physical cash. The remaining 90% lives on computers — as numbers in databases and banking systems. It’s a neat reminder of just how much we already trust digital infrastructure with things that matter.
The mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in 1964, and the very first prototype was carved from wood with a single button on top. The sleek devices on our desks today owe everything to that humble wooden block.
MyDoom is widely recorded as the most expensive virus ever, causing an estimated $38 billion in damage. It also became the fastest-spreading email worm of its time — an early lesson in how quickly a single piece of malicious code can spread once it’s loose.
Early gigabyte-scale storage cost tens of thousands of pounds and was the size of a large appliance. Today you can carry thousands of times that capacity in your pocket for a few pounds — one of the clearest illustrations of how far computing has come.
The history is fun, but here’s where it gets practical. The same technology that powers your business is now a primary target for criminals — and getting the basics right has become a genuine commercial advantage. These bonus facts are the ones worth remembering.
According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 43% of businesses reported a cyber security breach or attack in the past 12 months — roughly 612,000 organisations. For medium and large businesses the figure climbs to around 70%. Phishing remains by far the most common method, which is why staff awareness and layered defences matter so much. A modern computer is no longer just a productivity tool — it’s an entry point that needs protecting, which is exactly what managed cyber security is built to do.
The NCSC-backed Cyber Essentials scheme has issued close to 190,000 certificates since launch, and uptake keeps rising year on year. It’s no longer a nice-to-have. Many UK government contracts require it as a minimum, enterprise supply chains increasingly insist on it before procurement can progress, and cyber insurers offer better terms to certified businesses. The NCSC notes that organisations with the Cyber Essentials controls in place make markedly fewer insurance claims. In short — getting certified can directly help you win and keep clients.
You don’t have to supply the NHS or the Ministry of Defence directly to feel the effect of their standards. Increasingly, the businesses that serve those sectors — and the suppliers below them — are being asked to evidence their cyber security before contracts are signed. That can mean Cyber Essentials, the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, ISO 27001, or the MOD’s newer Defence Cyber Certification. The trend is clear: assurance flows down the supply chain, and the businesses that can prove their security posture win the work.
AI is no longer experimental for most organisations. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of UK organisations now report using AI in some form, up from 52% the year before, with many citing real productivity gains. The opportunity for SMEs is using AI to automate repetitive tasks and speed up decision-making — without opening new security gaps in the process. That balance, applying AI sensibly within a secure, compliant environment, is where the real value sits.
Computers have come a long way from room-sized calculators and wooden mice — and so have the responsibilities that come with them. The businesses that thrive are the ones that treat their technology as something to protect and build on, not just to use. If you’d like a hand getting the fundamentals right, that’s exactly what we do.