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The Evolution of Technology - The history of Computers
While computers are
now an important part of the lives of human beings, there was a time where
computers did not exist. Knowing the history of computers and how much
progression has been made can help you understand just how complicated and
innovative the creation of computers really is.pc fix
Unlike most devices, the
computer is one of the few inventions that does not have one specific inventor.
Throughout the development of the computer, many people have added their
creations to the list required to make a computer work. Some of the inventions
have been different types of computers, and some of them were parts required to
allow computers to be developed further.
The beginning
Perhaps the
most significant date in the history of computers is the year 1936. It was in
this year that the first "computer" was developed. It was created by Konrad Zuse
and dubbed the Z1 Computer. This computer stands as the first as it was the
first system to be fully programmable. There were devices prior to this, but
none had the computing power that sets it apart from other
electronics.
It wasn't until 1942 that any business saw profit and
opportunity in computers. This first company was called ABC computers, owned and
operated by John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. Two years later, the Harvard Mark
I computer was developed, furthering the science of computing.
Over the
course of the next few years, inventors all over the world began to search more
into the study of computers, and how to improve upon them. Those next ten years
say the introduction of the transistor, which would become a vital part of the
inner workings of the computer, the ENIAC 1 computer, as well as many other
types of systems. The ENIAC 1 is perhaps one of the most interesting, as it
required 20, 000 vacuum tubes to operate. It was a massive machine, and started
the revolution to build smaller and faster computers.
The age of
computers was forever altered by the introduction of International Business
Machines, or IBM, into the computing industry in 1953. This company, over the
course of computer history, has been a major player in the development of new
systems and servers for public and private use. This introduction brought about
the first real signs of competition within computing history, which helped to
spur faster and better development of computers. Their first contribution was
the IBM 701 EDPM Computer.
A Programming Language Evolves
A year
later, the first successful high level programming language was created. This
was a programming language not written in 'assembly' or binary, which are
considered very low level languages. FORTRAN was written so that more people
could begin to program computers easily.
The year 1955, the bank of
America, coupled with Stanford Research Institute and General Electric, saw the
creation of the first computers for use in banks. The MICR, or Magnetic Ink
Character Recognition, coupled with the actual computer, the ERMA, was a
breakthrough for the banking industry. It wasn't until 1959 that the pair of
systems were put into use in actual banks.
During 1958, one of the most
important breakthroughs in computer history occurred, the creation of the
integrated circuit. This device, also known as the chip, is one of the base
requirements for modern computer systems. On every motherboard and card within a
computer system, are many chips that contain information on what the boards and
cards do. Without these chips, the systems as we know them today cannot
function.computer repair
Gaming, Mice, & the internet
For many computer users
now, games are a vital part of the computing experience. 1962 saw the creation
of the first computer game, which was created by Steve Russel and MIT, which was
dubbed Spacewar.
The mouse, one of the most basic components of modern
computers, was created in 1964 by Douglass Engelbart. It obtained its name from
the "tail" leading out of the device.
One of the most important aspects
of computers today was invented in 1969. ARPA net was the original Internet,
which provided the foundation for the internet that we know today. This
development would result in the evolution of knowledge and business across the
entire planet.
It wasn't until 1970 that Intel entered the scene with the
first dynamic RAM chip, which resulted in an explosion of computer science
innovation.
On the heels of the RAM chip was the first microprocessor,
which was also designed by Intel. These two components, in addition to the chip
developed in 1958, would number among the core components of modern
computers.
A year later, the floppy disk was created, gaining its name
from the flexibility of the storage unit. This was the first step in allowing
most people to transfer bits of data between unconnected computers.
The
first networking card was created in 1973, allowing data transfer between
connected computers. This is similar to the internet, but allows for the
computers to connect without use of the internet.
Household Pc's
Emerge
The next three years were very important for computers. This is
when companies began to develop systems for the average consumer. The Scelbi,
Mark-8 Altair, IBM 5100, Apple I and II, TRS-80, and the Commodore Pet computers
were the forerunners in this area. While expensive, these machines started the
trend for computers within common households.
One of the most major
breathroughs in computer software occurred in 1978 with the release of the
VisiCalc Spreadsheet program. All development costs were paid for within a two
week period of time, which makes this one of the most successful programs in
computer history.
1979 was perhaps one of the most important years for
the home computer user. This is the year that WordStar, the first word
processing program, was released to the public for sale. This drastically
altered the usefulness of computers for the everyday user.
The IBM Home
computer quickly helped revolutionize the consumer market in 1981, as it was
affordable for home owners and standard consumers. 1981 also saw the the
mega-giant Microsoft enter the scene with the MS-DOS operating system. This
operating system utterly changed computing forever, as it was easy enough for
everyone to learn.
The competition Begins: Apple vs.
Microsoft
Computers saw yet another vital change during the year of 1983.
The Apple Lisa computer was the first with a graphical user interface, or a GUI.
Most modern programs contain a GUI, which allows them to be easy to use and
pleasing for the eyes. This marked the beginning of the out dating of most text
based only programs.pc optimize
Beyond this point in computer history, many changes
and alterations have occurred, from the Apple-Microsoft wars, to the developing
of microcomputers and a variety of computer breakthroughs that have become an
accepted part of our daily lives. Without the initial first steps of computer
history, none of this would have been possible. |
