The history of computer starts from 4000 years ago. History
of computer means the gradual change in the concept over a long period
of time. Around fifth century, Hindu philosophers developed a new method
of counting from 0 to 9. Counting the numbers from 0 to 9 can be
performed with the help of fingers. The development of counting started
from the development of simple counting device called ABACUS.
Abacus:
It
is the early counting and calculating device that was developed by the
Chinese people. The ABACUS was first used for computations in 3000 B.C.
It was made of a wooden frame on which there were strings. The frame was
divided into two parts, heaven and earth, by a mid-bar. Each string in
heaven had two beads each having the value of five units and each string
on the earth had five beads each having the value of one unit. During
the calculation, the beads were shifted to the mid-bar. It also followed
the place value system. It was used to add, subtract, divide and
multiply.
Napier's Bones:
In
1614 AD, a Scottish mathematician John Napier discovered the concept of
logarithms. In 1617 AD, he constructed a set of rods called Napier
Bones fordoing mathematical calculation easily. It consisted of eleven
sets of bone rods on which the numbers were engraved. It was used for
multiplication. It was based on the principle of performing
multiplication by the addition of logarithms.
Slide Rule:
After the invention of logarithm in 1617 AD, William Outghtred invented the Slide Rule in 1620. This device was made on the principle of logarithms. This device consists of two graduated scales, one small and other larger one. One of the scales passes over the other. It was used calculation product and quotient. The calculation was done by sliding the smaller scale over the large scale and the result was obtained by viewing the scales.
The Slice Rule was used by the engineers till 1970. This was replaced by pocket calculator.
Pascal's Calculating/Adding Machine:
It was developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642. It was a mechanical calculator that used toothed wheels and gears. The numbers were written on the wheels and the calculations was done by dialing the numbers. It was also called as Pascaline. It was used to add, subtract. ,multiply and divide.
Leibniz's Calculator:
It
was made by a German philosopher Gottrified Wilhem von Leibniz (G.V.
Leibniz) in 1671 AD. It was based on Pascal's principle. But it used
gears, toothed wheels and drums. It was able to add, subtract and even
find square roots. It worked on the principle that multiplication and
division can be done by repetitive addition and subtraction of numbers.
It was also called as Stepped Reckonor.
Difference Engine:
In
1822 AD, an English mathematician (Professor of Mathematics at
Cambridge University) invented a machine called Difference Engine with
mechanical memory to store results. It was based on the difference
tables of squares of the numbers. Due to which it got its name as
Difference Engine.
Analytical Engine:
It
was also developed by Charles Babbage in 1830s. It consisted of the
input unit for taking data and instructions, mill for performing
calculation, memory (punched card) with a suitable output device that
was used in giving the final result. It was designed to calculate up to
20 decimal places. The same principles of Analytical Engine is used in
the modern computer. So he is called as the "Father of Modern Computer" .
Using the principles of Charles Babbage, About 100 years later, Mark-1
was developed by Howard Aiken in 1937.
The analytical Engine was never completed due to the lack of techniques and technology because of which he was unable to get the parts that he wanted in his machine.
Lady Augusta Ada Lovelace:
One of the great supporters of Charles Babbage was lady Augusta Ada (The daugher of Famous poet, lord Byron). She convinced Babbage to use binary concept in his Analytical Engine. She wrote different types of programs that were used in the Babbage machines. So she is remembered as the "First Programmer" in the history of computer science and has to her credit a computer language called ADA named after her.
Dr. Herman Hollerith:
He was the first person to use punched card practically on his Census Tabulating Machine in 1880s. The information is stored as holes in cards, which are interpreted by machines with electrical sensors. The cards were punched by a machine called Punched Card Machine or Hollerith's Tabulating Machine. Then he established Tabulating Machine Company to sell his products. Later, when other companies merged with TMC, new company were established under the name International Business Machine Company and he came the founder of IBM. It is the worlds leading computer manufacturer.
Mark-1 (Howard Aiken):
In the late 1930s, next important event was added in the history of computer; the electromechanical computer was born with the development of MARK-1 in 1944 by Howard Aiken with the help of IBM. It also used the punched cards designed for Difference Engine. It was 51 ft long, 8 ft high and 13 ft wide. It used large numbers of valves, switches and resistors. It was used to produce ballistics tables in 2nd world war.
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC):
It is the first electronic computer that was developed by john Mouchlay and J. Prisper Eckert in 1947. It was based on the decimal number system. 18,000 vacuum tubes were used in ENIAC. There were 70,000 resistors, 10,000 condensers and 6,000 switches. It weighed 30 tones and occupied a space 3,000 cubic feet. It could calculates 300 times faster than any calculating devices at that time and it was based on decimal number.
Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC):
In
1949, the first electronic computer was developed by John Mauchly and
John Presper Eckert with the help of A. Burks, Goldstine and Neumann.
This machine was used to store the data and information as well as the
instructions. This computer operated electronically.
UNIVAC-I (Universal Accounting Computer):
John Mauchly and Eckert founded their own company in 1946 and began to work on the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC): general-purpose commercial computer in 1951. It was the first commercially used electronic computer in the world.
# In 1977, Steve Wozniak and Stave Jobs establish the company Apple computers.
# In 1984, Apple introduces the Macintosh, the first widely available computer with a "user-friendly" graphical interface using icons, windows, and a mouse device.
# In 1989, Microsoft Corporation introduces Windows for IBM Computers.
Abacus:
Napier's Bones:
Slide Rule:
After the invention of logarithm in 1617 AD, William Outghtred invented the Slide Rule in 1620. This device was made on the principle of logarithms. This device consists of two graduated scales, one small and other larger one. One of the scales passes over the other. It was used calculation product and quotient. The calculation was done by sliding the smaller scale over the large scale and the result was obtained by viewing the scales.
The Slice Rule was used by the engineers till 1970. This was replaced by pocket calculator.
Pascal's Calculating/Adding Machine:
It was developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642. It was a mechanical calculator that used toothed wheels and gears. The numbers were written on the wheels and the calculations was done by dialing the numbers. It was also called as Pascaline. It was used to add, subtract. ,multiply and divide.
Leibniz's Calculator:
Difference Engine:
Analytical Engine:
The analytical Engine was never completed due to the lack of techniques and technology because of which he was unable to get the parts that he wanted in his machine.
Lady Augusta Ada Lovelace:
One of the great supporters of Charles Babbage was lady Augusta Ada (The daugher of Famous poet, lord Byron). She convinced Babbage to use binary concept in his Analytical Engine. She wrote different types of programs that were used in the Babbage machines. So she is remembered as the "First Programmer" in the history of computer science and has to her credit a computer language called ADA named after her.
Dr. Herman Hollerith:
He was the first person to use punched card practically on his Census Tabulating Machine in 1880s. The information is stored as holes in cards, which are interpreted by machines with electrical sensors. The cards were punched by a machine called Punched Card Machine or Hollerith's Tabulating Machine. Then he established Tabulating Machine Company to sell his products. Later, when other companies merged with TMC, new company were established under the name International Business Machine Company and he came the founder of IBM. It is the worlds leading computer manufacturer.
Mark-1 (Howard Aiken):
In the late 1930s, next important event was added in the history of computer; the electromechanical computer was born with the development of MARK-1 in 1944 by Howard Aiken with the help of IBM. It also used the punched cards designed for Difference Engine. It was 51 ft long, 8 ft high and 13 ft wide. It used large numbers of valves, switches and resistors. It was used to produce ballistics tables in 2nd world war.
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC):
It is the first electronic computer that was developed by john Mouchlay and J. Prisper Eckert in 1947. It was based on the decimal number system. 18,000 vacuum tubes were used in ENIAC. There were 70,000 resistors, 10,000 condensers and 6,000 switches. It weighed 30 tones and occupied a space 3,000 cubic feet. It could calculates 300 times faster than any calculating devices at that time and it was based on decimal number.
Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC):
UNIVAC-I (Universal Accounting Computer):
John Mauchly and Eckert founded their own company in 1946 and began to work on the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC): general-purpose commercial computer in 1951. It was the first commercially used electronic computer in the world.
# In 1977, Steve Wozniak and Stave Jobs establish the company Apple computers.
# In 1984, Apple introduces the Macintosh, the first widely available computer with a "user-friendly" graphical interface using icons, windows, and a mouse device.
# In 1989, Microsoft Corporation introduces Windows for IBM Computers.
