In July 1953, IBM announced the launch of the IBM 650 Magnetic Drum Data-Processing Machine. It had ferrite ring memory, the magnetic drum stored one to two thousand words, and it was able to do multiplication in 2 seconds.

However, it was not the technical features of the 650 that entered the machine into IT history, but the fact that it was so hugely successful that it is remembered as the first mass-produced computer. In 1955, 120 machines were in operation, and another 750 units had been ordered.

By 1959, it had become the computer that was most widely in use. Some sources say that 2200 units were sold, while others estimate that fewer than two thousand units were purchased “only”. Its popularity led to IBM becoming a leading player in information technology in the world, one that consistently influenced IT development, and created trends.