Jordan Estrada
History of Computers
Definition of Computer
•Computer is a programmable machine.
•Computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions.
•Computer is any device which aids humans in performing various kinds of
computations or calculations.
Definition of Computer
Three principles characteristic of computer:
• It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner.
• It can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions.
• It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data.
Earliest Computer
• Originally calculations were computed by humans, whose job title was computers.
• These human computers were typically engaged in the calculation of a
mathematical expression.
• The calculations of this period were specialized and expensive, requiring years of
training in mathematics.
• The first use of the word "computer" was recorded in 1613, referring to a
person who carried out calculations, or computations, and the word continued to be
used in that sense until the middle of the 20th century.
Abacus
• An abacus is a mechanical device used
to aid an individual in performing
mathematical calculations.
• The abacus was invented in Babylonia in
2400 B.C.
• The abacus in the form we are most
familiar with was first used in China in
around 500 B.C.
• It used to perform basic arithmetic operations.
Napier’s Bones
• Invented by John Napier in 1614.
• Allowed the operator to multiply, divide and calculate square
and cube roots by moving the rods around and placing them in
specially constructed boards.
Pascaline
• Invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642.
• It was its limitation to addition and subtraction.
• It is too
expensive.
Stepped Reckoner
• Invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in 1672.
• The machine that can add, subtract, multiply and
divide automatically.
Computer Generations
There are five generations of computer:
• First generation – 1946 – 1958
• Second generation – 1959 - 1964
• Third generation – 1965 – 1970
• Fourth generation – 1971 - today
• Fifth generation – Today to future
The First Generation
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic
drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms.
• They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great
deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause
of malfunctions.
The First Generation
• First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-
level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and
they could only solve one problem at a time.
• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on
printouts.
The Second Generation
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of
computers
.• One transistor replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.
• Allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient
and more reliable.
• Still generated a great deal of heat that can damage the computer.
The Second Generation
• Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to
symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify
instructions in words.
• Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts
for output.
• These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their
memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The Third Generation
• The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third
generation of computers.
• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors,
which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
• Much smaller and cheaper compare to the second-generation computers.
• It could carry out instructions in billionths of a second.
The Third Generation
• Users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and
interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different
applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory.
• Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were
smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
The Fourth Generation
• The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of
computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built
onto a single silicon chip.
• As these small computers became more powerful, they
could be linked together to form networks, which eventually
led to the development of the Internet.
• Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and
handheld devices.
The Fifth Generation
• Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Still in development.
• The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality.
• The goal is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are
capable of learning and self-organization.
• There are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today.
Types of Computers
MICROCOMPUTER
•Can be classified into:
•Desktop PCs
•sits on desks, rarely moved, large and bulky.
•Memory capacity, graphics capacity and software availability vary from one
computer to another Used both for business and home applications.
•Portable PCs
•Can be moved easily from place to place
•Weight may vary.
• Small PCs are popular known as laptop
•Widely used by students, scientist, reporters, etc.
MINICOMPUTER
Medium sized computer
•Also called the minis
• e.g. IBM36, HP9000, etc.
•Computing power lies between microcomputer and
mainframe computer.
MINICOMPUTER
•Characteristics
•Bigger size than PCs
• Expensive than PCs
•Multi-User
•Difficult to use
•More computing power than PCs
•Used by medium sized business organizations,
colleges, libraries and banks.
MAINFRAME
•Known as enterprise servers
•Occupies entire rooms or floors
•Used for centralized computing
• Serve distributed users and small servers in a computing network.
SUPERCOMPUTER
• Fastest and expensive.
•Used by applications for molecular chemistry, nuclear research, weather
reports, and advanced physics
•Consists of several computers that work in parallel as a single system.
