What is Computing?

Computing• Any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from

or creating computers• Computer: a device that can be programed to carry

out a finite set of arithmetic or logical operations, typically requires automation

• What do this include?

Computing• Early Computers• Jacquard Loom– Created complex weaving patterns

such as brocade – Programs were made on “Chains of

Cards”• An early version of punch card programing.• Primarily mechanically based.

Computing• The Difference Engine• Mechanical Calculator

developed primarily todeal with polynomialfunctions

• Used a series of mechanical columns toperform binary calculations including the carry operation.

Computing• http://youtu.be/GcDshWmhF4A

Computing• Ultra and the Enigma• World War II• Problem – Germans has an

unbreakable code generated bya machine

• Solution – Gather all the smartest people you can find and lock them in a building together

• Result – Bombes! (Yes that is spelled right)

Computing• Turing–Welchman bombe• Electromechanical machine

that could help break Enigma

• Developed by Alan Turingand Gordon Welchman

• Used a series of logical deductions to crack the Enigma via a semi-brute force attack

• Over two hundred in operation by 1945

Computing• Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer• Fully programmable• Turning-complete• Used in atomic bomb

design• Used a set of cords to set

the programs• All the early programmers for the system were

women

Computing - 1954• IBM 704 – mass produced floating point computer

for commercial use• FORTRAN – the programming language used with

the IBM 704. Considered the first high level language and an alternative to assembly code.

• Used core memory and was fully programmable• Able to do 400 calculations a second.• Modern device run about 10,000 million calculation

per second

Computing – 1960’s• Spacewar! - First known computer game. Two

player• Moore’s Law• Packet switching – lead to network integration• Floppy disk• Interactive Computing – mouse, windows, and word

processing• The transistor (Bells Labs)• Printed boards

Computing – 1970’s• Development of RAM (Intel)• Unix• TI-Whatever’s – first portable calculators• First microprocessors• Pong released• Programming language C is released by Bell Labs– Dennis Ritchie

• Apple II, Commodore, IBM PC

Computing – 1980’s• Quantum Computing theorized • Symbolic Languages developed• GNU• Windows launched• World Wide Web developed• HTTP, telnet, ftp• Sound cards

Computing – 1990’s• Linux• Wolfenstein 3D / Doom• Netscape 1.0 / AOL• Development of Java• Hotmail• iMac’s

Computing – 2000’s• Pentium, NVIDA, Mr. Bain’s wasted college years• Firefox and Open Source• Laptop (Macbook)• iWhatevers• Steve Jobs• Ruby and Python• Tablets

Computing

Computing• Where do we go from here?• What are the limits?• Good or bad?• Ethics? • Think about it!