The Interesting History and Evolution of Computers!

To start I would like to quote some predictions of the influential people in the past about computers which shows how much computers have revolutionized the world.

 I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
– Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943 

Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.
– Popular Mechanics, 1949 

There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. 
             –Ken Olson, CEO, Digital Equipment Corp., 1977 

 

Let’s look at what is a computer and the history and evolution of computers!

 

• A computer is a machine that

–        inputs (takes in) facts and information (known as data*)

–        then processes (does something to or with) it

–        can also store data

–        afterwards it outputs, or displays, the results for you to see

* Data is all kinds of information, including, pictures, letters, numbers, and sounds

 

• The defining feature of modern computers which distinguishes them from all other machines is that they can be programmed

–        a list of instructions (the program) can be given to the computer e.g.,

–        add one number to another

–        move some data from one location to another

–        send a message to some external device, etc

–        it will store them (in memory)

–        and carry them out (execute) some time in future

–        Usually in the same order in which the instructions were given

 

• The first use of the word “computer” was recorded in 1613

–        referring to a person who carried out calculations, or computations !

–        The word continued to be used in that sense until the middle of the 20th century

-          before modern electronic computers were developed

 

•       The history of computers begins with two separate technologies

–        Automated Calculation

–        Programmability

 

•      Computer in the history were mechanical calculating devices such as

–        Abacus, 3000 B.C

–        Slide rule

Chinese Abacus: for performing arithmetic processes

Slide Rule: for performing multiplication, division, computing roots, logarithms, trigonometric functions

• ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer - was the first general-purpose electronic computer developed around 1946
• operated at 5 kIPS [thousand instructions per second]
• weighed 30 tons
• size was roughly 8.5 x 3 x 80 feet
• contained around 5 million hand-soldered joints
• consumed 150 kW of power; enough to dim the lights of Philadelphia when it was run!
• Input was given from an IBM card reader
• An IBM card punch was used for output

–  Today’s desktops can perform 10000+ MIPS

 

                                                            Working on, rather, ‘inside’ ENIAC.

 

IBM Punch Card: Programs and data were punched by hand or a key-punch-machine and read into a card reader.

A brief description about the types of modern computers with whom most of you would be familiar:

1   Microcomputers

–        These are the most widely used and the fastest-growing type of computers. There are two major categories:

1.   Desktop Computers are small enough to fit on top or along the side of a desk and yet are too big to carry around.

• Personal Computers
• Workstations

 

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2.       Portable Computers are small enough and light enough to move easily from one place to another.

• Laptops: 10-16 pounds in weight
• Notebooks: 5-10 pounds in weight
• Subnotebooks: 2-6 pounds in weight
• Personal Digital Assistants: Also known as palmtop computers and handheld PCs. They combine pen input, writing recognition and communication capabilities such as iphone 5, samsung galaxy s3 stc

 

2   Minicomputers

•   They are desk size machines.
•   They fall between microcomputers and mainframe computers in their processing speeds and data-storing capabilities.
•   They might be used for research or monitoring a particular manufacturing process.
•   Smaller companies have been using minicomputers for their data processing needs such as accounting/billing systems.

 

3   Mainframe Computers

•   These are large computers.
•   They are capable of great processing speeds and data-storing.
•   They are used by large organizations – business, banks, government agencies etc – to handle millions of transactions.
•   For example, airline companies use mainframe computers  to process information about millions of travelers.

 

4   Supercomputers

•  The most powerful type of computer is the supercomputer.
•  These machines are special, high-capacity computers used by very large organizations.
•  For example, NASA uses supercomputers to track and control space explorations.
•  Supercomputers are also used for oil exploration, simulations and worldwide weather forecasting.

 

 

References[1, 2, 3, 4 ,5 , 6, 7]