Whether you know it or not you depend on computers for almost every thing you do in
modern day life. From the second you get up in the morning to the second you go to sleep
computer are tied into what you do and use in some way. It is tied in to you life in the
most obvious and obscure ways. Take for example you wake up in the morning usually to a
digital alarm clock. You start you car it uses computers the second you turn the key
(General Motors is the largest buyers of computer components in the world). You pick up
the phone it uses computers. No mater how hard you try you can get away from them you
can't. It is inevitable.
Many people think of computers as a new invention, and in reality it is very old. It is
about 2000 years old .1 The first computer was the abacus. This invention was constructed
of wood, two wires, and beads. It was a wooden rack with the two wires strung across it
horizontally and the beads were strung across the wires. This was used for normal
arithmetic uses. These type of computers are considered analog computers. Another analog
computer was the circular slide rule. This was invented in 1621 by William Oughtred who
was an English mathematician. This slid ruler was a mechanical device made of two rules,
one sliding inside the other, and marked with many number scales. This slide ruler could
do such calculations as division, multiplication, roots, and logarithms.
Soon after came some more advanced computers. In 1642 came Blaise Pascal's computer, the
Pascaline. It was considered to be the first automatic calculator. It consisted of gears
and interlocking cogs. It was so that you entered the numbers with dials. It was
originally made for his father, a tax collector.2 Then he went on to build 50 more of
these Pascaline's, but clerks would not uses them.3 They did this in fear that they would
loose their jobs.4
Soon after there were many similar inventions. There was the Leibniz wheel that was
invented by Gottfried Leibniz. It got its name because of the way it was designed with a
cylinder with stepped teeth. 5 This did the same functions of the other computers of its
time.
Computers, such as the Leibniz wheel and the Pascaline, were not used widely until the
invention made by Thomas of Colmar (A.K.A Charles Xavier Thomas).6 It was the first
successful mechanical calculator that could do all the normal arithmetic functions. This
type of calculator was improved by many other inventors so it could do a number of many
other things by 1890. The improvements were they could collect partial results, a memory
function (could store information), and output information to a printer. These
improvement were made for commercial uses mainly, and also required manual installation.
Around 1812 in Cambridge, England, new advancements in computers was made by Charles
Babbage. His idea was that long calculations could be done in a series of steps the were
repeated over many times.7 Ten years later in 1822 he had a working model and in 1823 he
had fabrication of his invention. He had called his invention the Difference Engine.
In 1833 he had stopped working on his Difference Engine because he had another idea. It
was to Build a Analytical Engine. This would have been a the first digital computer that
would be full program controlled. His invention was to do all the general- purposes of
modern computers. This computer was to use punch cards for storage, steam power, and
operated by one person.8 This computer was never finished for many reasons. Some of the
reasons were not having precision mechanics and could solve problems not needed to be
solved at that time.9 After Babbage's computer people lost interest in this type of
inventions.10 Eventually inventions afterwards would cause a demand for calculations
capability that computers like Babbage's would capable of doing.
In 1890 an new era of business computing had evolved. This was a development in punch
card use to make a step towards automated computing, which was first used in 1890 by
Herman Holler. Because of this human error was reduced dramatically.11 Punch Cards could
hold 80 charters per card and the machines could process about 50 -220 cards a minuet.
This was a means of easily accessible me memory of unlimited size.12 In 1896 Hollerith
had founded his company Tabulating Machine Company, but later in 1924 after several
mergers and take-overs International Business Machines (IBM) was formed.
An invention during this time ,1906, would influence the way that computers were built
in the future, it is the first vacuum, and a paper was wrote by Alan Turingthat described
a hypothetical digital computer.13
In 1939 there was the first true digital computer. It was called the ABC, and was
designed by Dr. John Astanasoff.
In 1942 John O. Eckert, John W. Mauchly, and associates had decided to build a high
speed computer. The computer they were to build would become to be known as the ENIAC
(Electrical Numerical Integration And Calculator). The reason for building this was there
was a demand for high computer capacity at the beginning of World War two.
The ENIAC after being built would take up 1,800 square feet of floor space.14 It would
consist of 18,000 vacuum tubes, and would take up 180,000 watts of power.15 The ENIAC
was rated to be 1000 times faster than any other previous computer. The ENIAC was
accepted as the first successful high speed computer, and was used from 1946 to 1955.16
Around the same time there was a new computer built was more popular. It was more
popular because it not only had the ability to do calculations but it could also could do
the dissension make power of the human brain. When it was finished in 1950 it became the
fastest computer in the world.17 It was built by the National Bureau of standards on the
campus of UCLA. It was names the National Bureau of Standards Western Automatic Computer
or the SWAC. It could be said that the SWAC set the standards for computers for later up
to present times.18 It was because the had all the same primary units. It had a storage
device, a internal clock, an input output device, and arithmetic logic unit that
consisting of a control and arithmetic unit.
These computers were considered first generation computers (1942 - 1958).
In 1948 John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Schockley of Bell labs file for the
firs patent on the transistor.19 This invention would foundation for second generation
computers (1958 - 1964).
Computers of the second generation were smaller(about the size of a piano now) and much
more quicker because of the new inventions of its time. Computers used the much smaller
transistor over the bulky vacuum tubes. Another invention which influenced second
generation computers and every generation after it was the discovery of magnetic core
memory. Now magnetic tapes and disks were used to store programs instead of being stored
in the computer. This way the computer could be used for many operations without totally
being reprogrammed or rewired to do another task. All you had to do was pop in another
disk.
The third generation(1964 - 1970) was when computers were commercialized then ever
before. This was because they were getting smaller and more dependable.20 Also the cost
went down and power requirements were less.21 This was probably because of the invention
of the silicon semiconductor. These computers were used in mainly medical places and
libraries for keep track of records and various other reasons. These computer of the
third generation were the first micro computers.
The generation of computers we are in now is the forth generation it started in 1970. The
forth generation really started with an idea by Ted Hoff, an employ of Intel, that all
the processing units of a computer could be placed on one single chip. This Idea that he
had was not bought by many people.22 I believe that with out this idea upgradeable
computers would never have been designed. Today, every thing has a microprocessor built
into it.23
The microcomputer was changed forever in 1976 when Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had sold
a Volkswagen and a calculator for $1300 to build the first Apple.24 The work the did was
in their garage. They Had founded their company 1983, and had successfully mad the
fortune 500 list.25
Two years before Apple was founded IBM had announced the release of the IBM PC. Over
the next 18 months the IBM would become an industry standard.26
From the 1980 on there was a was a large demand for microcomputers Suck as the IBM PC
and Apple not only in industry but in the homes of many people. Many other computers
appeared during the 80's. Some were the Commodore, Tandy, Atari, and game systems such as
the nintendo and many others. There was aslo a large demand for computer games for the
home PC. Because of these many demands many companies were getting very competitive. They
were pushing for the faster better computer. Buy the late 80's because of this demand
microprocessors could handle 32 bits of data at a time pushing over 4 million
instructions processed a second.27
It seem as if over time computers have evolved in to totally different machines but if
you put it in to perspective they are also much alike. But on the other hand With almost
every business and many families today are in demand of better and newer computers it
seems that if you buy a new computer today industry had made it obsolete before you it.
This is probably because the better you make a computer and quicker it can do
calculations the quicker it can help you in designing an new computer that is even
faster. It is a domino effect that was started back 2000 years ago and will probably
never end. Who knows what's in store for the future or you could say the fifth generation
of computers.
1. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the Computer.Compatible,
http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 1
2. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg.
3. Hale, Andy. History of
Computers. Http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/bae/www/courses/bae221/jeff/comphist.htm, IBM
Compatible. 1995-96. Internet. Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu . pg. 1
4. Hale, Andy. History of
Computers. Http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/bae/www/courses/bae221/jeff/comphist.htm, IBM
Compatible. 1995-96. Internet. Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu . pg. 1
5. Hale, Andy. History of
Computers. Http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/bae/www/courses/bae221/jeff/comphist.htm, IBM
Compatible. 1995-96. Internet. Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu . pg. 1
6. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 1
7. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 2
8. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 3
9. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 3
10. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 3
11. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 3
12. Hale, Andy. History of
Computers. Http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/bae/www/courses/bae221/jeff/comphist.htm, IBM
Compatible. 1995-96. Internet. Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu . pg. 2
13. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 4
14. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 4
15. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 4
16. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 5
17. Rutland, David. Why Computers Are Computers. New York: Waren Publishers, 1996 p. 2
18. Rutland, David. Why Computers Are Computers. New York: Waren Publishers, 1996 p. 2
19. Polsson, Ken. Chronology of Events in the History of Micro
Computer. http://www.islandnet.com/kpolsson/comphist.htm, IBM Compatible,
Internet. 1995-96 Ken.polsson@bbc.org . pg. 3
20. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
21. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
22. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
23. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
24. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
25. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
26. Meyers, Jeremy. A Short History of the
Computer. http://www.lightning.net/~softlord/comp.html, IBM Compatible,
Internet, sotflord@lightning.net pg. 6
27. Hale, Andy. History of
Computers. Http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/bae/www/courses/bae221/jeff/comphist.htm, IBM
Compatible. 1995-96. Internet. Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu . pg. 8
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