Basic History of Computing

Al-Khwarizmi

written in 830, Hisab al-jabr w’al- muqabalathe al- jabr; in the title we get algebra developed the concept of the algorithm classification system for quadratics introduced the decimal system rules for solving equations and doing geometry.

Pascaline

mechanism to calculate with 8 figures and carrying of 10's, 100's, and 1000's etc ten-teeth wheel accessible to be turned directly by a person's hand eight windows on the top of it series of numbers was entered cumulative sum was obtained

Jacquard loom

complex patterns could be automated relied on stiff, pasteboard cards with various patterns of punched holes shuttle a card was placed in the path of the rods. pattern of holes in the card determined which rods could pass through Jacquard loom

Punch Card system of Jacquard loom

Lady Ada

mathematical talents early in life friends was Augustus De Morgan, Charles Babbage, Mary Somerville received tutoring in mathematics and music known as one of the founders of scientific computing 1828, she produced the design for a flying machine writings anticipated that computers would be used for practical and scientific purposes and also to generate music and graphics

Babbage

known to some as the "Father of Computing" contributions to the basic design of the computer through his Analytical machine Difference Engine was a special purpose device intended for the production of tables cowcatcher, dynamometer, standard railroad gauge occulting lights for lighthouses Greenwich time signals heliograph ophthalmoscope

Analytical Engine

a mechanical, modern general purpose computer design was correct,the engine would have worked, precision required for the gears not possible comparable computers came into existence about 100 years later. programming language akin to modern day assembly languages

Hollerith Tabulator

built for the U.S. Census Bureau. first used in compiling the 1890 Census work became the basis of the IBM Punched Card System used simple clock-like counting devices

Z-1

first freely programmable computer completed in 1938 contained all parts of modern computer; control unit, memory, micro sequences, floating point logic

Turing

While at Princeton played with idea of constructing a computer in 1938, built an analogue mechanical device work at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park

ENIAC

The world's first electronic digital computer was developed by Army Ordnance to compute World War II ballistic firing tables John W. Mauchly and J. P. Eckert, Jr weighed over thirty tons. 19,000 vacuum tubes, 1,500 relays hundreds of thousands of resistors, capacitors, and inductors consumed almost 200 kilowatts of electrical power.

ENIAC (cont’d) make the electronics simple and reliable achieved by utilizing vacuum tubes in a minimum of basic circuit combinations

Grace Hopper

assigned to Bureau of Ordnance Computation Project at Harvard consultant and lecturer for the United States Naval Reserve received awards for pioneering applications programming encouraged programmers to collect and share common portions of programs believed computer programs could be written in English