Lecture 2
- 1. IT 110: Lecture 2Computers : A History
- 2. "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.“ - Popular Mechanics, 1949"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of DECComputers: Rapidly changing history
- 3. Always a Need for ComputersAbacusPeople have wanted to create machines to help them sort dataIn Ancient Times, one device used was the Abacus – used for countingAdoption of the Arabic numeral system around the world
- 4. Al-JazariThe Castle ClockThe "castle clock", an astronomical clock invented by Al-Jazari in 1206, is thought to be the earliest programmable analog computer. It displayed the zodiac, the solar and lunar orbits, a crescent moon-shaped pointer traveling across a gateway causing automatic doors to open every hour, and five robotic musicians who play music when struck by levers operated by a camshaft attached to a water wheel. The length of day and night could be re-programmed every day in order to account for the changing lengths of day and night throughout the year.
- 5. Since the Middle Ages, a series of inventions came out in Europe in which people created mechanisms that performed computer functionsIn 1642 Blaise Pascal invented the mechanical calculatorIn 1801 a punch card system was created to operate a loom to automatically make detailed patterns in clothing Creating Mechanical Computers
- 6. In 1880 the US government did a census, and it took 9 years to finish adding up all the numbersHerman Hollerith built a counting machine, which was used in the 1888 census With his machine it took 6 weeks to the calculationsHollerith and his friends decided to create a company to sell his machines: International Business Machines (IBM)Example of the Changes it Could Do
- 7. Vacuum TubesVacuum Tube from the 1960sThomas Edison credited with inventing the Vacuum Tube in the 19th century By the 20th century was being used in all kinds of electronic equipment like radios, televisions and the earliest computers
- 8. Around 1940, large computers were being built, such as ENAIC and the Mark Ithey could only solve one problem at a timeInput was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printoutsWere so big because they need thousands of vacuum tubesNeeded a lot of electricity and generated lots of heat, making them prone to breaking downGiant Computers
- 9. Two important inventions in the 1950s Integrated circuits (aka microchips)TransistorsThey made computers much smaller and more efficientSince then, scientists are continually able to make these components smaller and more powerfulAllowed for the use of monitors and keyboards, and able to run more than one task at a timeNew Inventions
- 10. Computers and the PublicSpacewar, invented in 1962Video games show what the capabilities of computers are to the general publicPersonal computers – people can buy their own computers
- 11. MicrosoftStaff photo from 1978Started in 1975, Microsoft started creating software to run computers – Operating Systems, like DOS and WindowsAlso created programs like Microsoft Word$$$
- 12. Apple Incestablished on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs to sell the Apple I personal computer kitIn 1984, launched its Macintosh personal computerCompany has had ups and downs in the 80s and 90sIn 2007, shifted emphasis to mobile electronic devices