History Of Computing[1]

History of Computing

We use computer and computer services in daily life. It is used in homes, schools, offices, departmental stores, communication centers, e.t.c., for various purposes. We use it for learning, communicating, playing and several purposes. But many of us may be unknown about its history, invention, process, parts, functioning etc. What actually is a computer? •

A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions. (www.wikipedia.org)

•

A computer is an electronic machine that can be programmed to accept data (input), process it into useful information (output), and store it in a storage media for future use.

In my view computer is an electronic device that runs on a programmed platform, operating mathematical or logical operations as given by the user in a very high speed and resulting a softcopy or hardcopy output.

A modern computer used today

Invention of Computers….. There are many visions of analysts about the time of invention of computer. The computers that we use today are digital and electrical. They run upon electrical data inputs. It is not so long time that we are using digital computers. Previously, the computers were manual and analog. They used to compute upon the analog signals in a manual way. They were not so automatic, versatile, and reliable as they are today. Analysts say that the invention of computer started upon invention of ABACUS-the first ever properly made counting machine. It is said that The abacus may have been invented in Babylonia (now Iraq) in the fourth century B.C. As the human civilization was continuing then, development of counting and calculating machines were increasing day by day. During the mid 17th centuries there were many inventions like Pascaline machine by Blaise Pascal that was capable of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing simple algebraic calculations. Those machines were manual and not programmable. Later in the 19th century an English mathematician, Charles Babbage built the first ever programmable machine in the world. He invented two engines, namely Analytical Engine, and the Difference Engine. Because of his great commitment in computing technology he is rewarded as Father of Computer.

analytical engine

differential engine

Gradually by the advancement of technology, computers were made more electrically and automatically operated. Those computers were quiet programmable, faster and reliable than that of previous time. There were changes in size, components, speed, power consumption and versatile nature. Then after they were used in many different purposes like weather forecasting, military purpose, etc.

A brief time table and inventions in computing technology Computer History Computer History

Computer History

Year/Enter

Inventors/Inventions

Description of Event

1936

Konrad Zuse - Z1 Computer

First freely programmable computer.

1942

John Atanasoff & Clifford Berry Who was first in the computing biz is ABC Computer

1944

not always as easy as ABC.

Howard Aiken & Grace Hopper The Harvard Mark 1 computer. Harvard Mark I Computer

1946

John Presper Eckert & John W. 20,000 vacuum tubes later... Mauchly ENIAC 1 Computer

1948

Frederic Williams & Tom

Baby and the Williams Tube turn on

Kilburn

the memories.

Manchester Baby Computer & The Williams Tube

1947/48

1951

John Bardeen, Walter Brattain No, a transistor is not a computer, but & Wiliam Shockley

this invention greatly affected the

The Transistor

history of computers.

John Presper Eckert & John W. First commercial computer & able to Mauchly

pick presidential winners.

UNIVAC Computer 1953

International Business

IBM enters into 'The History of

Machines

Computers'.

IBM 701 EDPM Computer 1954

John Backus & IBM

The first successful high level

FORTRAN Computer

programming language.

Programming Language 1955 (In Use 1959)

Stanford Research Institute,

The first bank industry computer -

Bank of America, and General also MICR (magnetic ink character Electric

recognition) for reading checks.

ERMA and MICR 1958

Jack Kilby & Robert Noyce

Otherwise known as 'The Chip'

The Integrated Circuit 1962

Steve Russell & MIT

The first computer game invented.

Spacewar Computer Game 1964

Douglas Engelbart

Nicknamed the mouse because the

Computer Mouse &

tail came out the end.

Windows 1969

ARPAnet

The original Internet.

1970

Intel 1103 Computer

The world's first available dynamic

Memory

RAM chip.

Faggin, Hoff & Mazor

The first microprocessor.

1971

Intel 4004 Computer Microprocessor 1971

1973

Alan Shugart &IBM

Nicknamed the "Floppy" for its

The "Floppy" Disk

flexibility.

Robert Metcalfe & Xerox

Networking.

The Ethernet Computer Networking 1974/75

Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 Computers

The first consumer computers.

1976/77

Apple I, II & TRS-80 &

More first consumer computers.

Commodore Pet Computers 1978

Dan Bricklin & Bob Frankston Any product that pays for itself in two VisiCalc Spreadsheet

weeks is a surefire winner.

Software 1979

Seymour Rubenstein & Rob

Word Processors.

Barnaby WordStar Software 1981

IBM

From an "Acorn" grows a personal

The IBM PC - Home

computer revolution

Computer 1981

Microsoft

From "Quick And Dirty" comes the

MS-DOS Computer

operating system of the century.

Operating System 1983

Apple Lisa Computer

The first home computer with a GUI, graphical user interface.

1984

Apple Macintosh Computer The more affordable home computer with a GUI.

1985

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft begins the friendly war with Apple.

After 1985 there have been much more advancement daily going on.

Basic structure of computer and its processing Central Processing Unit Input given by the User.

Processess arithmetic or Logical operations

Storage Unit Stores Data and Information for future purpose

Output after processingsoft or hard copy

Types of Computers derived from the History 1.Microcomputer A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central rocessing unit. Another general characteristic of these computers is that they occupy physically small amounts of space when compared to mainframe and minicomputers. Many microcomputers (when equipped with a keyboard and screen for input and output) are also personal computers (in the generic sense). Microcomputers or PC's as they are often called, are abundant on our desks, tables, offices, suitcases, everywhere. This is the most visible form of computers in the present world and comes in all forms and breeds. 2.Minicomputer

A minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems (mainframe computers) and the smallest single-user systems (microcomputers or personal computers). The class at one time formed a distinct group with its own hardware and operating systems, but the contemporary term for this class of system is midrange

computer, such as the higher-end SPARC, POWER and ITANIUM.

3.Mainframe computer Mainframes are computers used mainly by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing. Mainframes are designed to handle very high volume input and output (I/O) and emphasize throughput computing. Some pictuers of historical computers

mainframe computers calculator

pascaline machine by Blaise Pascal or pc

Abacus-the first number

micro-computer

ENIAC by John W. Mauchley