The Milestones of the Computer

Living in the 21st century, could you imagine living your life without a computer? Some would be surprised by the notion of not having or using a computer since it became a staple activity in their everyday life. The computer was invented only about 60 years ago yet it became one of the critical needs that we require today. In almost everywhere we go and whatever we do, in one way or another, we have an interface with the computer. So let us discuss how did this wonder evolved through the years.

The abacus could be considered as the first computer. Discovered nearly 5000 years ago the abacus is used for doing basic calculations by using a sliding system of beads that are strung on racks. This has been the case before the next advancement in computing happened almost 12 centuries after.

Blaise Pascal in 1642 invented the numerical wheel calculator; which is called the Pascaline. It could calculate by using eight movable dials and could add up to eight figures. The obvious disadvantage of the Pascaline is the limitation of the digits it could add up.

Mechanical Calculators gained widespread popularity in the 1820’s. Frenchman Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar invented a machine (the arithometer) that could add, subtract, multiply, and divide. This device was widely used until World War I

Perhaps the beginning of the basic computer was started by Charles Babbage. His Analytical Engine consisted of over 50,000 components. It included a basic input device in the form of perforated cards that contained the basic operations. It could also store in its memory up to 1000 numbers that are 50 decimals long.

World War II fueled the interest in developing the computer. Because of its strategic importance more funding was poured into its development. During this time the first all-electronic calculator was made by IBM. It is about half a football field long and used around 500 miles of wires. This is primarily used by the US navy to create ballistic charts. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) and EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer) was some of the computer system developed during this era. They used vacuum tubes and resistors; this makes them very cumbersome and energy hungry.

The discovery of the transistor in 1948 changed the design concept of the computers. They made it much smaller and energy efficient. But still the transistor produces heat that could damage some of its sensitive parts.

In 1958 an engineer from Texas Instrument invented the Integrated Circuit. This replaced the transistor as it could fit many electronic components onto a small silicon disc. Later scientist fitted even more components on a single chip which they called the semiconductor.

The predecessor of the modern computer today was introduced by IBM in 1981, it was the personal computers. Rapid expansion was seen as clones of PC have made it more affordable. In 1982 there were about 5.5 million PC produced but ten years later it jumped to around 65 million.

Now computers are widely used in the home, workplace, malls, cars, and in so many places and applications. As it becomes smaller and powerful expect it to proliferate more in the near future.
 

Bruno

Tags: calculators, semiconductor, Texas Instruments, IBM, computers, World War II