| Computers, it seems as if they have been
| |
| | could perform calculations at the rate of
|
| around forever. Yet it wasn't until the
| |
| | 5,000 additions per second. Operators
|
| 1981 that the first personal computer was
| |
| | used plug boards and wires to program the
|
| introduced by IBM - only twenty six years
| |
| | desired operations. The computer used
|
| ago.
| |
| | magnetic tape to store input and output
|
| So who invented the first computer and
| |
| | rather than punch tape, another invention
|
| how did it evolve to what it is today?
| |
| | by Eckert and Mauchley. Such computers
|
| The definition of a computer is any
| |
| | were to later be called 'First
|
| programmable electronic device that can
| |
| | Generation' computers.
|
| store, retrieve, and process data. But
| |
| | It was in 1947 when Bell Laboratories
|
| the idea of 'computing' dates all the way
| |
| | invented the transistor that a wave of
|
| back to the 1200s when a Moslem cleric
| |
| | 'Second Generation' computers were born.
|
| proposed a way to solve problems with a
| |
| | Texas Instruments improved the transistor
|
| series of written procedures. In 1801
| |
| | in 1954 and the vacuum tubes were
|
| Joseph-Marie Jacquard built a loom that
| |
| | replaced. With the transistors, computers
|
| weaves by reading punched holes stored on
| |
| | became less expensive and smaller in
|
| small sheets of hardwood; the plates read
| |
| | size.
|
| or retrieved the pattern and creates or
| |
| | It wasn't until the development of
|
| processed the weave.
| |
| | programming language came along that the
|
| But it wasn't until prior to World War II
| |
| | 'Third Generation' computer was born.
|
| when John V. Atansoff and Clifford John
| |
| | Originally, programmers communicated with
|
| Berry started building the 'electronic'
| |
| | computers through plug boards and wires.
|
| computer. Because of the war, the two
| |
| | In 1956, FORTRAN, the first programming
|
| were unable to complete their project.
| |
| | language was developed. Then, in 1959
|
| But in 1939, Astansoff finished a small
| |
| | came COBOL. These programming languages
|
| prototype computer to test his ideas. The
| |
| | enabled programmers to write code and
|
| computer was called the ABC, standing for
| |
| | translate it into machine language. The
|
| Atansoff-Berry Computer.
| |
| | operating system was created to provide a
|
| The machine used 300 vacuum tubes to
| |
| | buffer between the user and the machine
|
| perform calculations, capacitors to store
| |
| | and to enable the user to ask the
|
| binary data and punch cards to
| |
| | computer to perform a high level task.
|
| communicate input/output. Unlike old
| |
| | After this came the necessity for
|
| mechanical machines, which used direct
| |
| | storage. In 1970, IBM put a floppy disk
|
| counting, the ABC used logical operations
| |
| | drive into their 3740 system. The floppy
|
| to perform addition and subtraction.
| |
| | disk provided three times more storage
|
| During World War II, the military wanted
| |
| | space and thus the 'Fourth Generation'
|
| the computer for more advanced uses. They
| |
| | computers were born.
|
| were seeking an easier way to compute
| |
| | Personal computers have changed
|
| firing and ballistic tables. This is when
| |
| | tremendously since this time with
|
| J. Presper Eckert and William Mauchley
| |
| | everything from hardware to storage to
|
| developed the ENIAC or Electronic
| |
| | great varieties of software. With
|
| Numerical Integrator and Calculator. This
| |
| | technology multiplying itself with each
|
| computer filled a thirty by fifty foot
| |
| | decade, who knows what the future
|
| room and weighted thirty tons. The
| |
| | generation computers could look like.
|
| computer used 18,000 vacuum tubes and
| |
| |
|
