Computer History

By: Kaitlyn May 2011

IntroductionComputers are the most widely used piece of

technology throughout the world. The development of computers was a gradual

process that started more than 2,000 years ago!

The Abacus The Babylonians

created the first “computer” during the 4th century.

It was called an abacus which is an instrument that was used in different cultures for making fast arithmetic and astronomical calculations.

Analog ComputersAstronomical

calculations eventually led the ancient Greeks and the medieval Muslim astronomers to invent the astronomical analog computers.

The first ever analog computer that you could program was Al-Jazari’s astronomical clock, which was invented in 1206.

The Invention Of Calculators Wilhelm Shickard

invented the mechanical calculator in 1623.

Blaise Pascal added gears to this invention in 1642, but it was not a success because the gears would jam.

Charles Thomas created the first mass produced calculator in 1820. It was called the arithmometer.

The Arithmometer The arithmometer was based on the work of

Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz.

It could add, subtract, multiply and divide.

The “Difference Engine” The “difference

engine” is a massive steam-powered mechanical calculator that could print, invented by Charles Babbage.

The British government cancelled the project.

Charles Babbage to work on another project called the “analytical engine” which was a mechanical computer that was capable of solving any mathematical problem.

The “Tabulating Machine”

Herman Hollerith designed something called the “tabulating machine” in 1890.

The device could automatically read census information that had been punched into a card.

This was a very successful creation and Herman built a firm called IBM, where he marketed the device!

IMB’s Great Success Around 1941, American

Howard Aiken and several of IMB’s greatest engineers got together.

They designed a large automatic digital computer and called it Harvard Mark I.

Their creation was a huge success!

MicrocomputersMicrocomputers are

compact digital computers that run by a microprocessor. In 1971 microprocessors were invented. They made it possible for almost anyone to have their own computer.

At first computers were limited to the military, universities, and very large companies.

The microprocessor made it possible for microcomputers and minicomputers to be created.

The Altair 8800The first minicomputer

was the Altair 8800, created by MITS.

The disadvantage of the Altair 8800 is that it had no software and the owner had to create their own personal software to use it.

This prompted two young hackers, William Gates and Paul Allen.

Bill Gates & Paul Allen Bill Gates and Paul

Allen offered computer software called BASIC, to MITS.

The computer software could help computer scientists program microcomputers.

The two men later created their own company, which is now known as Microsoft.

After The Introduction Of AltairAfter the Altair, many

more microcomputers were developed.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak designed Apple computers.

Tandy Radio Shack created the TRS-80.

IMB created the IMB PC for home markets.

After time, it was Apple and IMB that raced each other in providing home markets with computers.

They both were determined on designing attractive and user-friendly personal computers.

Present Day Computers Computers have come a

long way from the simple abacus.

They have also become more dependable and easier to use.

There are plenty of different types of computers on the market.

They include; mainframes, desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, media centers, and personal digital assistants.

Bibliography http://www.pcbargainhunter.com/articles/hist

ory-of-the-computer.html