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Introduction To Computing - History of Computer and Internet Computer Software

History of Computer

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Joana Daisee N. Escobido
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27 views

Introduction To Computing - History of Computer and Internet Computer Software

History of Computer

Uploaded by

Joana Daisee N. Escobido
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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History of Computer and Internet Computer Software

History of Computers
When we study the many aspects of computing and computers, it is important to know
about the history of computers. Charles Babbage designed an Analytical Engine which was a
general computer It helps us understand the growth and progress of technology through the
times. It is also an important topic for competitive and banking exams.

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic machine that collects information, stores it, processes it
according to user instructions, and then returns the result.

A computer is a programmable electronic device that performs arithmetic and logical


operations automatically using a set of instructions provided by the user.

Early Computing Devices


People used sticks, stones, and bones as counting tools before computers were invented.
More computing devices were produced as technology advanced and the human intellect
improved over time. Let us look at a few of the early-age computing devices used by
mankind.

Abacus
Abacus was invented by the Chinese around 4000 years ago. It’s a wooden
rack with metal rods with beads attached to them. The abacus operator
moves the beads according to certain guidelines to complete arithmetic
computations.

Napier’s Bone
John Napier devised Napier’s Bones, a manually operated calculating
apparatus. For calculating, this instrument used 9 separate ivory strips
(bones) marked with numerals to multiply and divide. It was also the first
machine to calculate using the decimal point system.

Pascaline
Pascaline was invented in 1642 by Biaise Pascal, a French
mathematician and philosopher. It is thought to be the first mechanical
and automated calculator. It was a wooden box with gears and wheels
inside.
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Stepped Reckoner or Leibniz wheel


In 1673, a German mathematician-philosopher named Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz improved on Pascal’s invention to create this
apparatus. It was a digital mechanical calculator known as the
stepped reckoner because it used fluted drums instead of gears.

Difference Engine
In the early 1820s, Charles Babbage created the Difference Engine. It was a mechanical
computer that could do basic computations. It was a steam-powered calculating machine
used to solve numerical tables such as logarithmic tables.

Analytical Engine
Charles Babbage created another calculating machine, the Analytical Engine, in 1830. It was a
mechanical computer that took input from punch cards. It was capable of solving any
mathematical problem and storing data in an indefinite memory.

Tabulating machine
An American Statistician – Herman Hollerith invented this machine in the year 1890.
Tabulating Machine was a punch card-based mechanical tabulator. It could compute statistics
and record or sort data or information. Hollerith began manufacturing these machines in his
company, which ultimately became International Business Machines (IBM) in 1924.

Differential Analyzer
Vannevar Bush introduced the first electrical computer, the Differential Analyzer, in 1930.
This machine is made up of vacuum tubes that switch electrical impulses in order to do
calculations. It was capable of performing 25 calculations in a matter of minutes.

Mark I
Howard Aiken planned to build a machine in 1937 that could conduct massive calculations
or calculations using enormous numbers. The Mark I computer was constructed in 1944 as a
collaboration between IBM and Harvard.

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