History Of Computers :: essays research papers

story of ComputersIntroductionThe electronic computer has now been utilise commercially for little than 25 years. It grew out of a search lasting centuries for a more than accurate, faster way to perform calculations. Primitive and ancient man employ his fingers, shells, beads, sticks, and other objects to keep track of numbers and sums. The development of paper and constitution instrumentsmade it easier to record data, but gave little aid in manipulating it.Manual DevicesA computer is sometimes defined as a system that mechanizes the wait on of information. Even a manual doodad may fall downstairs this definition if they are constructed in such a way that abject them by hand can produce the desired answer. ExampleAbacusThe abacus is the oldest-known mechanistic computing aid. Its origin is uncertain. Many countries claim to have invented it. It was used in China as early as the sixth century B.C. and in the mediterranean areain ancient Greek and Roman times. It is still used in many parts of the world. The abacus consists of beads strung on rows of wires suspended at heart a rectangular frame. A common form has a ingredient of wood dividing the beads, with five beads on one side, and two on the other side of the wood on each wire. Calculating Machines and their Inventorsthrough and through the centuries, several mathematical geniuses invented machinesto aid them in their calculations. The machines were never widely used and generally had no direct path to the later development of electronic computers. ExamplePascalBlaise Pascal (1623-1662) a French matematician, invented the beginning windup(prenominal) adding machine at age 19 in 1642. He became hackneyed of adding long columns of figures while helping his father, who had been appointed administrator of Rouen by Cardenal Richelieu. His device had teen toothed wheels and many gears. Rotating wheels developed sums. A carry pry advanced the next wheel to the left one position when a sum exceeded 1 0. Punched Card DevelopmentMany of us are move to learn that the punched card diligence is almost 200 years old. Furthermore, the first use of punched cards wasn&8217t for data processing, but rather for process control. ExampleJacquardJoseph Marie Jacquard (1752-1834), a French Weaver, in 1804 developed the first completly automatic rifle loom, controlled by punched cards. Fearing that the machine would produce unemployment, workers attacked and destroyed his machine at Lyon. help by Napoleon, Jacquard rebuilt his machine, which os credited with promoting a thriving textile industry in France through the 1800s.