Definition of Computers
History of Computers
Generations of Computers
Characteristics of Computer
Types of Computers
Architecture of a Computer System
What is BIOS (basic input/output system)?
Input
Output
Computer Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Read Only Memory (ROM)
Motherboard
Memory Units
Hardware
Software
Languages & Packages
The first counting device was used by the primitive people. They used sticks, stones and bones as counting tools. As human mind and technology improved with time more computing devices were developed. Some of the popular computing devices starting with the first to recent ones are given below.
ABACUS, used for calculations, was the earliest devise that qualifies as a computer widely used 6000 years ago. The ABACUS was built using the idea of place values.
John Napier developed Logarithm, a tabular system of numbers through which many arithmetical calculations were simplified, in 1617.
Napier also invented a set of rods which were carved from bones and used for multiplication. These were called Napier Bones.
Slide Rule, based on the principle of logarithm, a calculating device was invented by William in 1620.
Blaise Pascal, a Frenchman, invented a mechanical unit in 1642 that could add and subtract, using a set of toothed wheels. This ‘calculator’ was the first digital machine.
Pascal’s machine was further improved by a German mathematician Gottfried that could add, subtract, multiply, divide and extract roots.
In 1822, Charles Babbage built the ‘Difference Engine’. This could do only one kind of calculations.
In 1833, Charles Babbage designed and worked on Analytical Engine. It was a general purpose computer designed to solve almost any type of problem. It contained most of the elements we find in modern digital computer systems. Hence, Charles Babbage is considered as Father of modern computer.
Joseph Jacquard invented punch cards in 1801. Punch card had holes punched in it. These were used by him to produce weaving pattern on the cloths.
In 1880, Dr.Herman Hollerith used punched cards for data processing by building a tabulating machine that could punch holes in cards and read them as well. This machine worked on electricity and had mechanical parts and could handle 50 to 75 cards per minute. The system was very slow and card jams and data destruction were common problems. Punching machine, Verifying machine, Interpreter, Sorter, Collators, Tabulator were some of the machines used in this system.
In 1944, Howard Alken built MARK1, the first digital computer, at Harvard University. It lacked speed but had the ability to continuously perform complex arithmetic functions without frequent human intervention. It was partly electronic and partly mechanical machine.
In 1936, Alan Turing from Cambridge University submitted his brilliant logical analysis on ‘artificial intelligence’. His contribution on the development of electronic computers remains the single biggest contribution ever made to the science.
In 1930, Germans developed a mechanical machine called as ‘ENIGMA’ for coding military messages.
In 1939, Britain initiated to build machines that could decipher Enigma’s codes. The world’s first giant computer using values was built called the ‘Colossus’.
In 1942, USA started to develop an electronic computer. In 1946, it could put to operation ‘ENIAC’ (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator), made in University of Pennsylvania. John Mauchly and J.Presper Eckert were the two people involved in its development. This computer was made of 18,000 vacuum tubes. ENIAC could process the data at great speeds (though not comparable to today’s computers).
UNIVAC-1 was the first business oriented computer developed in 1952 used by US Bureau of Census.