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the historical development of computer
History of computer development
the history of computer development
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Every advancement in computers and technology in general, has come from improvements in existing designs and the new ideas presented by computer scientists.
When the word computer is mentioned, many words come to people’s minds. Among these are laptop, pc, desktop, windows, and maybe even cellphones. Before recent times however, a computer was actually a job for “one who calculates”, or computes (dictionary). We now tend to think of computers as an object, not a person. The word computer is now used to describe a device, usually electronic, that processes data according to a set of instructions (dictionary). When most people think of computers, they think of this definition of a computer. With this definition, many objects can be considered a computer such as a calculator or a phone. A definition for computer that describes a desktop or a laptop, is a programmable machine that performs high-speed processing of numbers, as well as of text, graphics, symbols, and sound. All computers contain a central processing unit that interprets and executes instructions; input devices, such as a keyboard and a mouse, through which data and commands enter the computer; memory that enables the computer to store programs and data; and output devices, such as printers and display screens, that show the results after the computer has processed data (dictionary). This definition of computer describes the machine that this paper was typed on, the laptop you check your email on, and the desktop you update your Facebook status on. However, all these updates and advances to computers did not come up over night, not even in the last century.
In fact, considering the fact that the term computer used to describe a person who calculates, the history o...
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The idea of computing began at the start of civilization. The computer’s long history makes it, “… one of the most interesting and important machines ever invented” (Anonymous). Computers are simply complex counting devices. The abacus was an ancient computer which used beads to solve math problems. The abacus was strictly manual and the desire for an automated machine grew. One of the earliest automated machines was invented in the nineteenth century when French weaver, Joseph Jacquard, created a loom that could be programmed. Large hole punched cards were used by the loom to create geometric patterns. Aside from producing beautiful patterns, the punched cards were later modified to become the main form of computer input. The system of punch cards led to the first successful semi-automated computer, a punch-card tabulating machine invented during the 1880s by American Herman Hollerith. It was used to tabulate the results of the U.S. census. Each punch card contained the data of each individual. Operators fed the countless cards into the computer. When the spring-mounted nails of the computer passed through the holes of the punch-card, an electric circuit was completed. As seen in diagram C, the results of each card were displayed on rows of dials. Hollerith’s company, the Tabulating Machine Company, was eventually sold and was renamed the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in 1911, which still exists today. The first electronic computers were very large and elaborate machines that required a lot of money to build and use. The entire computer industry might never have taken off without government funding. World War II created a need for the U.S. military to calculate missile trajectories quickly, so Dr. John Machly was hired by the military to build a machine for this task.
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 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.
The original computer was nothing like it is known now. It was a simple device known as an abacus, a mathematic tool that may have been invented in the fourth century BC by the Babylonians (PBS). Before a new computer could be created, a few things had to happen.
I have been using computers for as long as I can remember, whether it is for entertainment use or work use, computers are part of our everyday lives. They have an effect on almost everything you do. When you buy groceries at a supermarket, a computer is uesed with laser and barcode technology to scan the price of each item and present a total. Barcoding items (clothes, food and books ) requires a computer to generate the barcode labels and maintain the inventory. Most televison advertisiments and many films use graphics produced by a computer. In hospitals, bedide terminals connected to the hospital's main computer allow doctors to typw in orders for blood tests and to schedule operations. Banks use computers to lool after their customers' money. In libraries and bookshops, computers can help to find the book you want as quikly as possible. This has not always been the case though; computers did not always exist, and are continuously changing to this day. I think one group said it best,” Companies promote it for their employees. Parents demand it for their children. Those who have it believe they have a competitive edge. Those who don't have it seek it out. "It" is a computer. We are rapidly becoming a "computer society" Until recently computers were found only in environmentally controlled rooms behind locked doors. Only computer professionals dared enter these secured premises. In contrast today computers are found in millions of homes and just about every office. In fact there is a computer for one in every eight people in the world. Eventually all of us will have at least one computer and will use it every day for work and leisure.”
Computer engineering started about 5,000 years ago in China when they invented the abacus. The abacus is a manual calculator in which you move beads back and forth on rods to add or subtract. Other inventors of simple computers include Blaise Pascal who came up with the arithmetic machine for his father’s work. Also Charles Babbage produced the Analytical Engine, which combined math calculations from one problem and applied it to solve other complex problems. The Analytical Engine is similar to today’s computers.
In the past years technology has revolutionized the world. Computers have changed the world in many good ways but they have some negative side effects. There are many different kinds of computers and they all have their benefits and problems. Tablets are good for interactive things but they cannot compute as much as a larger computer. Smart phones are even weaker than tablets but they are special because they can be used for phone calls and texting without using a program like Skype. Laptops are more powerful than both smart phones and tablets but they still don't match the stats of a desktop computer. Desktops are they strongest and most customizable but they can't be moved very easily. All of these computers have changed the world in their own ways along with computers in general changing the world.
The history of the modern computer age is a brief one. It has been about 50 years since the first operational computer was put into use: the MARK 1 in 1944 at Harvard and ENIAC in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania. Early use of computers in education was primarily found in mathematics, science and engineering as a mathematical problem-solving tool, replacing the slide rule and thus permitting students to deal more directly with problems of a type and size most likely to be encountered in the real world.[6]
The history of computers is an amazing story filled with interesting statistics. “The first computer was invented by a man named Konrad Zuse. He was a German construction engineer, and he used the machine mainly for mathematic calculations and repetition” (Bellis, Inventors of Modern Computer). The invention shocked the world; it inspired people to start the development of computers. Soon after,
A computer is defined as “A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data” (Computer Basics: What is a computer?, n.d.). Similar to a typewriter, it’s able to create documents; however, the difference between a typewriter and a computer is that a computer has more functions. A computer allows one to not only create documents, but “play games, and browse the Web. You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos” (Computer Basics: What is a computer?, n.d.). Most people only think of a desktop and a laptop as a computer; nevertheless, computers have different forms. Tablets, game consoles, smartphones, and more are all computers. The first ever computer happen in
As a college student I have become very appreciative of my computer because it facilitates and assist me at school on daily bases, however, the computer was not always this sophisticated tool that we all use today, far from that, the computer has been modified and recreated many times in order to achieve its very useful characteristics that make our lives more efficient. Today’s computer is the outcome of years of developing accompanied by intellectual individuals who have created essential components to this machine, in addition, those who today continue to improve this extraordinary machine.
As a conclusion, computer is not just one of the first tools to assist in the calculation, but it is also include all aspects of life that can be made easier and faster. According from one generation to another generation which started with the first generation until fifth, the computers already have developments and changes quite rapidly. Not only that, the computer from the first generation until now much more sophisticated yet more can make time-consume efficiently. Besides, the computer had more sophisticated with new technologies springing up and also environmentally friendly. For instance, a laptop is a device that is in desire for all or been among the IT users. It is also being able to use anywhere and lead to the professional lifestyle.
The history of the computer dates back all the way to the prehistoric times. The first step towards the development of the computer, the abacus, was developed in Babylonia in 500 B.C. and functioned as a simple counting tool. It was not until thousands of years later that the first calculator was produced. In 1623, the first mechanical calculator was invented by Wilhelm Schikard, the “Calculating Clock,” as it was often referred to as, “performed it’s operations by wheels, which worked similar to a car’s odometer” (Evolution, 1). Still, there had not yet been anything invented that could even be characterized as a computer. Finally, in 1625 the slide rule was created becoming “the first analog computer of the modern ages” (Evolution, 1). One of the biggest breakthroughs came from by Blaise Pascal in 1642, who invented a mechanical calculator whose main function was adding and subtracting numbers. Years later, Gottfried Leibnez improved Pascal’s model by allowing it to also perform such operations as multiplying, dividing, taking the square root.
The computer evolution has been an amazing one. There have been astonishing achievements in the computer industry, which dates back almost 2000 years. The earliest existence of the computer dates back to the first century, but the electronic computer has only been around for over a half-century. Throughout the last 40 years computers have changed drastically. They have greatly impacted the American lifestyle. A computer can be found in nearly every business and one out of every two households (Hall, 156). Our Society relies critically on computers for almost all of their daily operations and processes. Only once in a lifetime will a new invention like the computer come about.
Computer is an advance electronic devices , in this modern age computer playing an important role in our daily life. For better or worst , the computer affecting all aspect of our society . Generally , most of the people only know that computer used for calculation or computation ,but actually its more than that , precisely computer is an electronic device for performing arithmetic and logical operation device or a flexible machine to process data and converts it into information .Today , computer have become such necessity of people’s life , such as online banking as we can just transfer money or paying our bill online , super market computer can calculate the bill we have to pay and etc. Now , let’s see the development of the computer.