History of Computer.
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 were 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 Gentrified
Wilhelm 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 Reckon or.
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 are 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 daughter 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 world’s 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 Outlay and J. Prosper 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 calculate 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 Archly and John Prosper
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.
>in 1987 first windows operating system loaded system built by Microsoft company.
And much many more……
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