The History of Computers

1. The History of Computers By TechnoKids Inc.

2. Introduction • The history of computers should not be reduced to a list of names and dates, but instead should be a tour into the past that celebrates the inventions that have greatly impacted our lives. Computers have changed the way we communicate, work, learn, and play.

3. We have Come Along Way • We may complain that the computer is too slow or too unreliable. But these statements lack a clear understanding of how far this technology has come. • Up until only a few decades ago there was no mouse, no operating system with icons, no desktop computer, and no color monitor. • The computers of only twenty years ago were big, slow, and unable to multi-task.

4. The Computer Slowly Evolved • The computer was not invented over night. Rather inventors from all over the world at all different points in time built devices. With each new invention, another came along building on the current knowledge and technology. Slowly the computer was born.

5. 1600-1900 • There were no computers, as we would think of them before the 1900’s, but there were machines produced, that inspired inventors to create other devices, that eventually lead to the computer. • Blaise Pascal's made a machine that added numbers. (1600s) • Joseph-Marie Jacquard's creating a loom that weaved patterns described by holes in punched cards. (1801) • Charles Babbage's made an Analytical Engine. (1840s) • Herman Hollerith's designed a device that read information punched on cards that was used to collect census data. (1880s)

6. Punch Card Technology • The punch card technology created by Herman Hollerith led to the creation of a tape that contained holes. A device shone light onto the tape and read the position of holes. • Using this technology computers could be made to do mathematics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. • Moreover, as time when on computers could make logical decisions based punch card technology.

7. Vacuum Tube Technology • Slowly computers were able to store information and operate programs. • The earliest digital machines were based on vacuum tube technology. • The computer using this technology were unreliable and difficult to program, used lots of power, required large rooms, and constantly needed maintenance. Storing information was difficult, and the machines could only solve one problem at a time.

8. Integrated Circuit Technology • Eventually vacuum tubes where replaced with the integrated circuit (IC), which is a computer chip that contains miniature transistors and other electronic components on a single thin rectangle of silicon. • As you may know today computer chips are used throughout the computer - in the mouse, keyboard, in memory devices, and as part of the central processing unit.

9. I’m Not Sharing • In the past, companies were very protective of their hardware and software. One company’s product would not work with another manufacturer’s. • In fact, once a company developed a new product the old product was obsolete, as the software and hardware could not be interchanged with older equipment.

10. A Family of Computers • In 1964, IBM introduced the System 360 "family" of computers. • The 360's operating system was designed with a compiler that could be change from model to model, so that old software would run on any computer in the family.

11. The Personal Computer • In 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer, a key event in the development of the computer industry. It was based on an Intel microprocessor and the operating system DOS, licensed from Microsoft. • In 1983 Apple Computers introduced the Macintosh and started a revolution in making computers easy to use.

12. We Have Come Along Way

13. The Computer is Amazing! • Today we have very fast computers, that can do many things at one time, store lots of information, and communicate with other machines all around the world. • It is amazing!