Since we talk about digital, i.e. 0s and 1s, then one should surely
acknowledge Gottfried Leibniz who invented the binary numeral system as it
is used today. (He is also responsible for Calculus as it is used today, i.e.
Newton notations were extremely cumbersome).
However, according to wikipedia (may the scholars forgive me), people
have been using binary numerical system to encode information for a very
long time. For example, in India by Pingala in the 2nd century BC, in China in
the clasic text "I Ching" in the 11th century. Other similar systems
were used also in Africa (e.g. ifa) and Europe (e.g. Francis Bacon). Also, let us
not forget the Morse code.
Another important figure that should be mentioned is the British
mathematician George Boole, the father of Boolean algebra which is at the
basis of all digital electronic circuitry.
The invention of the diode LASER in 1962 (by two groups in USA) should also
be acknowledged as a crucial important step.
acknowledge Gottfried Leibniz who invented the binary numeral system as it
is used today. (He is also responsible for Calculus as it is used today, i.e.
Newton notations were extremely cumbersome).
However, according to wikipedia (may the scholars forgive me), people
have been using binary numerical system to encode information for a very
long time. For example, in India by Pingala in the 2nd century BC, in China in
the clasic text "I Ching" in the 11th century. Other similar systems
were used also in Africa (e.g. ifa) and Europe (e.g. Francis Bacon). Also, let us
not forget the Morse code.
Another important figure that should be mentioned is the British
mathematician George Boole, the father of Boolean algebra which is at the
basis of all digital electronic circuitry.
The invention of the diode LASER in 1962 (by two groups in USA) should also
be acknowledged as a crucial important step.