History of Computer

Earliest Computer

• Originally calculations were computed by humans, whose job title was computers. 
• These human computers were typically engaged in the calculation of a mathematical expression.
•  The calculations of this period were specialized and expensive, requiring years of training in mathematics.
• The first use of the word "computer" was recorded in 1613, referring to a person who carried out calculations, or computations, and the word continued to be used in that sense until the middle of the 20th century.
• Tally Sticks A tally stick was an ancient memory aid device to record and document numbers, quantities, or even messages.

Abacus

• An abacus is a mechanical device used to aid an individual in performing mathematical calculations.
• The abacus was invented in Babylonia in 2400 B.C.
• The abacus in the form we are most familiar with was first used in China in around 500 B.C.
•  It used to perform basic arithmetic operations

Napier’s Bones

• Invented by John Napier in 1614.

 • Allowed the operator to multiply, divide and calculate square and cube roots by moving the rods around and placing them in specially constructed boards.

Slide Rule

• Invented by William Oughtred in 1622. 

• Is based on Napier's ideas about logarithms.

• Used primarily for – multiplication – division – roots – logarithms – Trigonometry

• Not normally used for addition or subtraction.

Pascaline 

• Invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642

• It was its limitation to addition and subtraction.

• It is too expensive.

Stepped Reckoner

• Invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in 1672.

• The machine that can add, subtract, multiply and divide automatically.

Jacquard Loom

• The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1881.

• It an automatic loom controlled by punched cards.

Arithmometer

• A mechanical calculator invented by Thomas de Colmar in 1820,

• The first reliable, useful and commercially successful calculating machine.

• The machine could perform the four basic mathematic functions.

• The first mass-produced calculating machine.

Difference Engine and Analytical Engine

• It an automatic, mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions.

 • Invented by Charles Babbage in 1822 and 1834

• It is the first mechanical computer.

First Computer Programmer

• In 1840, Augusta Ada Byron suggests to Babbage that he use the binary system.

 • She writes programs for the Analytical Engine.

Scheutzian Calculation Engine 

• Invented by Per Georg Scheutz in 1843

. • Based on Charles Babbage's difference engine.

• The first printing calculator.

Tabulating Machine 

• Invented by Herman Hollerith in 1890.

• To assist in summarizing information and accounting.

Havard Mark I 

• Also known as IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC).

• Invented by Howard H. Aiken in 1943

• The first electro-mechanical computer.

Z1

 • The first programmable computer.

 • Created by Konrad Zuse in Germany from 1936 to 1938

 • To program the Z1 required that the user insert punch tape into a punch tape reader and all output was also generated through punch tape.

Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)

• It was the first electronic digital computing device

. • Invented by Professor John Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry at Iowa State University between 1939 and 1942.

ENIAC

• ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer.

• It was the first electronic generalpurpose computer.

• Completed in 1946.

• Developed by John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchl.

UNIVAC 1

• The UNIVAC I (UNIVersal Automatic Computer 1) was the first commercial computer.

• Designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly.

EDVAC

• EDVAC stands for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer

 • The First Stored Program Computer

• Designed by Von Neumann in 1952.

• It has a memory to hold both a stored program as well as data.

The First Portable Computer

• Osborne 1 – the first portable computer.

• Released in 1981 by the Osborne Computer Corporation.

The First Computer Company 

• The first computer company was the Electronic Controls Company.

• Founded in 1949 by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly.

Computer Generations There are five generations of computer:

1. First generation – 1946 - 1958 • Second generation – 1959 - 1964
2. Third generation – 1965 - 1970 • Fourth generation – 1971 - today
3. Fifth generation – Today to future

1. The First Generation

• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms.

• They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.

The First Generation

• First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time.

• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.

2. The Second Generation

• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers.

• One transistor replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.

• Allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable.

• Still generated a great deal of heat that can damage the computer.

The Second Generation

• Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words.

• Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.

 • These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.

3. The Third Generation

• The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.

• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

 • Much smaller and cheaper compare to the second generation computers.

• It could carry out instructions in billionths of a second.

The Third Generation

• Users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory.

 • Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

4. The Fourth Generation

• The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip.

• As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet.

• Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

5. The Fifth Generation

• Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• Still in development. • The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality.

• The goal is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

• There are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today.


Refference:

https://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2013/cs1301_fall/presentations/short_
http://www.samos.aegean.gr/math/stamatiu/eisagwgh_samos/M03_history.pp
http://kremer.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/courses/cpsc231/lectureNotes/history.ppt