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ARRA (computer)

first Dutch computer

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionMay 8, 2026
Entity authorityQ2612880 ↗
Source-derived summary

The ARRA (Automatische Relais Rekenmachine Amsterdam; Automatic Relay Calculator Amsterdam) was the first Dutch computer, and was built from relays for the Dutch Mathematical Centre (Mathematisch Centrum), which later became the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI).

Computer

It was designed and built by Carel Scholten and Bram Loopstra, and was finished in 1952. Because of reliability problems it was soon taken out of commission, and "updated" to the ARRA II, which actually was a completely new design. In December 1953, electronic ARRA II performed its first programs and was completed in 1954.

Editorial summary

Begin with the source’s own compact description: “ARRA (computer)” is first Dutch computer. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through ARRA, computer and first, not as a finished interpretation.

Editorial reviewA practical starting point whose main value is the path it opens into stronger specialist and primary sources. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1952, 1953, 1954—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. For this dossier, ARRA, computer and first is the immediate research focus.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The phrase “first Dutch computer” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2612880. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1952, 1953 and 1954.

Critical limits

A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
Verify next

The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “ARRA (computer)”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow ARRA (computer) primary sources, ARRA (computer) archive and ARRA research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “ARRA (computer)”?
  2. Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
  3. Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “ARRA (computer)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.