CS 104 Introduction to Computer Science and

Graphics Problems

History of Computer

09/05/2008Yang Song

(Prepared by Yang Song and Suresh Solaimuthu)

What is a Computer?

Computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions (Wikipedia)

Computer is an electronic device.... Computer can compute….

Compute means calculate Calculate means adding

Characteristics of a Computer

Speed Accuracy Diligence Versatility Storage IQ? Feeling?

History of Computing Devices

Abacus Napier’s Bones Slide Rule Pascal’s Machine Leibniz’s Machine Babbage’s Analytical Engine Mechanical and Electrical Calculator Modern Electronic Calculator Digital Computer

Abacus An abacus is a calculating tool for arithmetic processes,

constructed as a frame with beads sliding on rods. It has been used for tens of centuries, around the world.

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/images/abacus-photo.gif

Napier’s Bones

John Napier created and published it in 1617. For calculation of products and quotients. An example of multiplication

(Picture from wikipedia)

Slide Rule

A mechanical analog computing device, generally consisting of at least two finely divided scales (rules), most often a fixed outer pair and a movable inner one, with a sliding window called “cursor”.

It is used primarily for multiplication and division. Widely used in engineering and science till 1970s.

Pascal’s Machine

Blaise Pascal invented it in 1645, could do addition and subtraction.

Leibniz’s Machine

Gottfried Leibniz developed Pascal’s idea and constructed this calculating machine in 1671.

It was therefore the first calculator which could handle the four rules of arithmetic.

Babbage’s Analytical Engine

In 1823 Charles Babbage built a mechanical machine to do complex mathematical calculations called difference engine.

Later he developed a general-purpose calculating machine called analytical engine

It was intended to use loops of punched cards to control and automatic calculator, which could make decisions based on the results of previous computations.

Charles Babbage is called the father of computers, his assistant, Ada Lovelace, is called the first programmer.

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Computer Generations

The history of computer development is known as computer generations.

John von Neumann and his Neumann architecture: using a processing unit and a single separate storage structure to hold both instructions and data.

Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the ways the computers operate.

This resulted in smaller, cheaper, powerful, efficient and reliable machines.

How many generations of computers we have now?

First Generation

1940s~1956 Vacuum Tubes Used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for

memory Often enormous, taking up entire rooms Reliability is a problem Expensive, used lots of electricity, generated lots of heat Examples:

ENIAC-Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator

UNIVAC-UNIVersal Automatic Computer

ENIAC: the first high-speed, purely electronic, Turing-complete, digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing

problems .It contained 17,468 vacuum tubes, 7,200 crystal diodes,

1,500 relays, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors and 5 million hand-soldered joints. 27 Tons, 8.5ft X 3ft X 80ft.

Second Generation

1956-1963 Transistors The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube,

allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors

Still the transistors generated lots of heat High level programming languages were used like

COBOL and FORTRAN Examples: IBM 1620, CDC 3600

The IBM 1620 Data Processing System

Nick name: CADET (Can't Add Doesn't Even Try)

Third Generation

1964-1971 Integrated Circuits (IC). Up to 100 devices per chip. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon

chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system

CPL->BCPL->B Examples: IBM-360, ICL-1900, VAX-750

VAX - 750

Could handle up to 16 terminals. In 1980s, it would cost 100,000 USD.

Fourth Generation

1971-present Microprocessors Very Large Scale (VLSI), Ultra Large Scale (ULSC),

millions of components could be fit into a single silicon chip

Due to the development of microprocessor it is possible to place computer's central processing unit (CPU) on single chip

1981: IBM PC, 1984: Apple Macintosh GUIs, Mouse….

Fifth Generation

Present and Beyond Based on artificial intelligence, the fifth generation is still i

n development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today

The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality

Quantum computation and molecular and nano technology will radically change the face of computers in years to come

Any other idea?