History of Computers

When we study the many aspects of computing and computers, it is

important to know about the history of computers. Charles Babbage
designed an Analytical Engine which was a general computer It helps
us understand the growth and progress of technology through the
times. It is also an important topic for competitive and banking
exams.

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic machine that collects information, stores
it, processes it according to user instructions, and then returns the
result.

A computer is a programmable electronic device that performs

arithmetic and logical operations automatically using a set of
instructions provided by the user.

Early Computing Devices

People used sticks, stones, and bones as counting tools before
computers were invented. More computing devices were produced as
technology advanced and the human intellect improved over time.
Let us look at a few of the early-age computing devices used by
mankind.

1. Abacus
Abacus was invented by the Chinese around 4000 years ago. It’s a
wooden rack with metal rods with beads attached to them. The
abacus operator moves the beads according to certain guidelines to
complete arithmetic computations.

2. Napier’s Bone
John Napier devised Napier’s Bones, a manually operated calculating
apparatus. For calculating, this instrument used 9 separate ivory strips
(bones) marked with numerals to multiply and divide. It was also the
first machine to calculate using the decimal point system.

3. Pascaline
Pascaline was invented in 1642 by Biaise Pascal, a French
mathematician and philosopher. It is thought to be the first
mechanical and automated calculator. It was a wooden box with
gears and wheels inside.

4. Stepped Reckoner or Leibniz wheel

In 1673, a German mathematician-philosopher named Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz improved on Pascal’s invention to create this
apparatus. It was a digital mechanical calculator known as the
stepped reckoner because it used fluted drums instead of gears.

5. Difference Engine
In the early 1820s, Charles Babbage created the Difference Engine. It
was a mechanical computer that could do basic computations. It was
a steam-powered calculating machine used to solve numerical tables
such as logarithmic tables.

6. Analytical Engine
Charles Babbage created another calculating machine, the Analytical
Engine, in 1830. It was a mechanical computer that took input from
punch cards. It was capable of solving any mathematical problem and
storing data in an indefinite memory.

7. Tabulating machine
An American Statistician – Herman Hollerith invented this machine
in the year 1890. Tabulating Machine was a punch card-based
mechanical tabulator. It could compute statistics and record or sort
data or information. Hollerith began manufacturing these machines in
his company, which ultimately became International Business
Machines (IBM) in 1924.

8. Differential Analyzer
Vannevar Bush introduced the first electrical computer, the
Differential Analyzer, in 1930. This machine is made up of vacuum
tubes that switch electrical impulses in order to do calculations. It
was capable of performing 25 calculations in a matter of minutes.

9. Mark I
Howard Aiken planned to build a machine in 1937 that could conduct
massive calculations or calculations using enormous numbers. The
Mark I computer was constructed in 1944 as a collaboration between
IBM and Harvard.

History of Computers Generation

The word ‘computer’ has a very interesting origin. It was first used in
the 16th century for a person who used to compute, i.e. do
calculations. The word was used in the same sense as a noun until the
20th century. Women were hired as human computers to carry out all
forms of calculations and computations.

By the last part of the 19th century, the word was also used to
describe machines that did calculations. The modern-day use of the
word is generally to describe programmable digital devices that run
on electricity.
Early History of Computer
Since the evolution of humans, devices have been used for
calculations for thousands of years. One of the earliest and most well-
known devices was an abacus. Then in 1822, the father of
computers, Charles Babbage began developing what would be the
first mechanical computer. And then in 1833 he actually designed an
Analytical Engine which was a general-purpose computer. It
contained an ALU, some basic flow chart principles and the concept
of integrated memory.

Then more than a century later in the history of computers, we got

our first electronic computer for general purpose. It was the ENIAC,
which stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. The
inventors of this computer were John W. Mauchly and J.Presper
Eckert.

And with times the technology developed and the computers got
smaller and the processing got faster. We got our first laptop in 1981
and it was introduced by Adam Osborne and EPSON.

Browse more Topics under Basics Of Computers

 Number Systems
 Number System Conversions
 Generations of Computers
 Computer Organisation
 Computer Memory
 Computers Abbreviations
 Basic Computer Terminology
 Computer Languages
 Basic Internet Knowledge and Protocols
 Hardware and Software
 Keyboard Shortcuts
 I/O Devices
 Practice Problems On Basics Of Computers

Generations of Computers
In the history of computers, we often refer to the advancements of
modern computers as the generation of computers. We are currently
on the fifth generation of computers. So let us look at the important
features of these five generations of computers.

 1st Generation: This was from the period of 1940 to 1955. This
was when machine language was developed for the use of
computers. They used vacuum tubes for the circuitry. For the
purpose of memory, they used magnetic drums. These machines
were complicated, large, and expensive. They were mostly reliant
on batch operating systems and punch cards. As output and input
devices, magnetic tape and paper tape were implemented. For
example, ENIAC, UNIVAC-1, EDVAC, and so on.
 2nd Generation: The years 1957-1963 were referred to as the
“second generation of computers” at the time. In second-
generation computers, COBOL and FORTRAN are employed as
assembly languages and programming languages. Here they
 advanced from vacuum tubes to transistors. This made the
computers smaller, faster and more energy-efficient. And they
advanced from binary to assembly languages. For instance, IBM
1620, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, CDC 3600, and so forth.
 3rd Generation: The hallmark of this period (1964-1971) was the
development of the integrated circuit. A single integrated circuit
(IC) is made up of many transistors, which increases the power of
a computer while simultaneously lowering its cost. These
computers were quicker, smaller, more reliable, and less
expensive than their predecessors. High-level programming
languages such as FORTRON-II to IV, COBOL, and PASCAL PL/1
were utilized. For example, the IBM-360 series, the Honeywell-
6000 series, and the IBM-370/168.
 4th Generation: The invention of the microprocessors brought
along the fourth generation of computers. The years 1971-1980
were dominated by fourth generation computers. C, C++ and Java
were the programming languages utilized in this generation of
computers. For instance, the STAR 1000, PDP 11, CRAY-1, CRAY-X-
MP, and Apple II. This was when we started producing computers
for home use.
 5th Generation: These computers have been utilized since 1980
and continue to be used now. This is the present and the future of
the computer world. The defining aspect of this generation is
artificial intelligence. The use of parallel processing and
superconductors are making this a reality and provide a lot of
scope for the future. Fifth-generation computers use ULSI (Ultra
Large Scale Integration) technology. These are the most recent
and sophisticated computers. C, C++, Java,.Net, and more
programming languages are used. For instance, IBM, Pentium,
Desktop, Laptop, Notebook, Ultrabook, and so on.