Prior to the 1940s, the term “computer” did not refer to the digital machines we know today, but rather instead to a person who computed information. Human computers performed computing operations by hand, which was time-consuming and prone to error. With the advent of computing technologies, humans were able to use machines to perform computations at a vastly greater rate and without error. From the 1940s to today, computers have evolved through several generations, and their meaning has changed to refer to electronic devices used to store and process data. This essay will discuss the differences between the first four generations of computers, as well as explain the fifth generation of computers and its impact on people’s business and social …show more content…
At the time of its development, computer experts only thought of computers in scientific, engineering, and military applications, and originally, this is what computers such as ENIAC were used for. First generation computers became useful during World War II as they helped calculate missile trajectories and decode messages from Axis powers. However, others realized the more commercial potential computers had for businesses. Companies such as IBM used ENIAC as a starting point to create other machines, especially ones for commercial and business use, such as the Univac I (Cortada). The Univac I was the first commercial computer and was used on a CBS broadcast to predict the outcome of the 1952 presidential elections, which it did accurately. The ethical impact of these computers was that they consumed a lot of energy and were extremely expensive; furthermore, the machines were slow, unreliable, and difficult to use (Cortada). However, the social impact is that these first generation computers planted the seed for the potential of digital computers and paved the way for all subsequent computers, which became smaller, more reliable, efficient and affordable, and easier to use …show more content…
These transistors used silicon as a semiconductor, which “drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers”. It moved away from the punch card and printout input/output system and instead used external hardware like keyboards and monitors. Computers began using an even higher language for programming with the advent of operating systems that could allow a computer to run many different applications at one time by using a central processing unit to monitor the memory. Integrated circuits, external hardware, and software and operating systems allowed computers to become even more compact and user friendly, and less expensive, so computers finally became available to mass audiences (Beal, Shread and
Science and technology go hand in hand. Scientific discoveries result in technology advancements for the people. In today’s technological world, it has progressed to a whole new level. This type of modernization opened doors for new and improved computers, cell phones, medical treatment, and machinery. In a reference article, “Computers and the Internet in America: Modern World” by Christopher Cumo, he discusses how computers and the internet have impacted human life since the 20th century. Technology has always been a part of society and as
The subject of this term paper will be about computers in the 1950’s. The divisions that will be covered are; the types of computers there were, the memory capacity of computers, the programming languages of that time, and the uses of the computers for that time. Information will be gathered from the Internet, from books, and from magazines, and from the encyclopedia.
computers to hit the market, but it was not IBM compatible, so it did not take
When World War II broke out in 1939 the United States was severely technologically disabled. There existed almost nothing in the way of mathematical innovations that had been integrated into military use. Therefore, the government placed great emphasis on the development of electronic technology that could be used in battle. Although it began as a simple computer that would aid the army in computing firing tables for artillery, what eventually was the result was the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). Before the ENIAC it took over 20 hours for a skilled mathematician to complete a single computation for a firing situation. When the ENIAC was completed and unveiled to the public on Valentine’s Day in 1946 it could complete such a complex problem in 30 seconds. The ENIAC was used quite often by the military but never contributed any spectacular or necessary data. The main significance of the ENIAC was that it was an incredible achievement in the field of computer science and can be considered the first digital and per...
Computers are a magnificent feat of technology. They have grown from simple calculators to machines with many functions and abilities. Computers have become so common that almost every home has at least one computer, and schools find them a good source for information and education for their students (Hafner, Katie, unknown). Computers have created new careers and eliminated others and have left a huge impact on our society. The invention of the computer has greatly affected the arts, the business world, and society and history in many different areas, but to understand how great these changes are, it is necessary to take a look at the origins of the computer.
Thesis statement: With the power of computers at our hand, our society has made several improvements in different aspects of our everyday life which can range from education, all the way up to the government itself.
Over the years, man has come up with countless inventions, each more resourceful than the last. However, as the computer age continues, mankind is threatened. Ridiculous, some may say, but I say look around! The computer has already begun to control so many of the vital functions that man has prided himself upon before. Our lives are now dependent on a computer and what it tells you. Even now, I type this essay on a computer, trusting that it will produce a result far superior to what I can do with my own to hands.
The UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was the first computer which was not a one-of-a- kind laboratory instrument. The UNIVAC became a household word in 1952 when it was used on a televised newscast to project the winner of the Eisenhower- Stevenson presidential race with stunning accuracy. That same year Maurice V. Wilkes (developer of EDSAC) laid the foundation for the concepts of microprogramming, which was to become the guide for computer design and construction. In 1954, the first general-purpose computer to be completely transistorized was built at Bell Laboratories.
The fist computer, known as the abacus, was made of wood and parallel wires on which beads were strung. Arithmetic operations were performed when the beads were moved along the wire according to “programming” rules that had to be memorized by the user (Soma, 14). The second earliest computer, invented by Blaise Pascal in 1694, was a “digital calculating machine.” Pascal designed this first known digital computer to help his father, who was a tax collector. Pascal’s computer could only add numbers, and they had to be entered by turning dials (Soma, 32). It required a manual process like its ancestor, the abacus. Automation was introduced in the early 1800’s by a mathematics professor named Charles Babbage. He created an automatic calculation machine that was steam powered and stored up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Unlike its two earliest ancestors, Babbage’s invention was able to perform various operations. It relied on cards with holes punched in them, which are called “punch cards.” These cards carried out the programming and storing operations for the machine. Unluckily, Babbage’s creation flopped due to the lack of mechanical precision and the lack of demand for the product (Soma, 46). The machine could not operate efficiently because technology was t adequate to make the machine operate efficiently Computer interest dwindled for many years, and it wasn’t until the mid-1800’s that people became interested in them once again.
Consider the developments in technology, robotics, and information technology with its social implications for human values and the future of work. We have entered a new age technological revolution, which profoundly effects social structure and values. Technological development brings about the change of life styles. Computers are one of the most important factors of this development.
These statistics are amazing, but even more amazing is the development of computers. Now in 2005, in this short 68-year period, computer technology has changed its entire look; now, we use computer chips instead of vacuum tubes and circuit board instead of wires. The changes in size and speed are probably the biggest. When we look at computers today, it is very hard to imagine computers 60 years ago were such big, heavy monsters.
The biggest and easiest seen change that computers have had on today’s society can be seen in the workplace. Before computers became an office tool and were made available to the average employee, paperwork and sharing information in an office setting was done by many different individuals constantly filing and looking up figures. Now a computer can store large amounts of information that is readily available to virtually anyone with the click of a mouse button. One person can complete a job that in a time before computers would take many. Computers have made file cabinets and libraries almost obsolete. Businesses can share information nation or even world wide in a matter of seconds. For example, a word document file can be sent from an office in New York to an office in Los Angeles in under a minute, in the past this same information would have taken a week to be sent through the mail. Computers have changed the way that factories are run too. On an assembly line, before computers every job, no matter how easy or difficult, had to be done by an employee. Now, however, computers run machines and do most of these tasks.
Almost every device has some type of computer in it. Whether it is a cell phone, a calculator, or a vending machine. Even things that we take for granted most cars since the 1980’s have a computer in it or a pacemaker. All of the advancements in computers and technology have led up to the 21st century in which “the greatest advances in computer technology will occur…” Mainly in areas such as “hardware, software, communications and networks, mobile and wireless connectivity, and robotics.”
From classroom activities to space flight and everything in between, computers are a vital part of daily life. Everything we do and every aspect of our life is affected by modern technology, like the computers. Computers let us dissect any sort of data. Computers make us reflect, hence we develop. Because of computers and the Internet, we can talk with individuals from diverse nations, and even see them via webcams.
Ever since computers first came into production, they have been evolving. The Commodore 64 and Apple computers have dominated the very first computer market. Today, there are many companies in the computer industry fighting for technology supremacy. And since the beginning, every new generation of computers has dominatedover the old ones. When they first came out, each jump in technology took awhile, but nowadays, the technology changes daily. Fifth generation computers are overall much better than the previous generation.