Which computer was the first commercially available model?

The UNIVAC I, developed in the early 1950s, stands out as the first commercially available computer. This marked a significant milestone in computing history because it was the first to be produced and sold to businesses for practical applications, rather than used solely for academic or governmental purposes. The UNIVAC I was designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, who had previously worked on the ENIAC.

The introduction of the UNIVAC I represented a shift towards the commercialization of computer technology, paving the way for future developments in the industry. Its success demonstrated the potential for computers to be used in a variety of business and scientific applications, influencing the growth and evolution of computing technology.

In contrast, other options like the IBM 360, while significant in their own right for their architecture and systems, came later and were not the first to be offered commercially. The ENIAC and Colossus were groundbreaking machines but were primarily developed for specific government tasks and did not transition into the commercial market in the way UNIVAC I did.