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Lecture # 1: History of Computers

This document provides a summary of the history of computers from the earliest counting devices to modern generations. It begins with a definition of a computer as a programmable machine that manipulates data according to instructions. Some of the earliest counting devices included the abacus and Napier's Bones. Major developments included the Analytical Engine, ENIAC as the first electronic computer, UNIVAC as the first commercial computer, and the EDVAC as the first stored-program computer. Computers have progressed through 5 generations from vacuum tubes to integrated circuits and artificial intelligence.

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45 views

Lecture # 1: History of Computers

This document provides a summary of the history of computers from the earliest counting devices to modern generations. It begins with a definition of a computer as a programmable machine that manipulates data according to instructions. Some of the earliest counting devices included the abacus and Napier's Bones. Major developments included the Analytical Engine, ENIAC as the first electronic computer, UNIVAC as the first commercial computer, and the EDVAC as the first stored-program computer. Computers have progressed through 5 generations from vacuum tubes to integrated circuits and artificial intelligence.

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Raya Idrissa
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CS 0113: Basics of Computers and Computer Organization

LECTURE # 1

History of Computers
Topics:
• Definition of computer

• Earliest computer

• Computer History

• Computer Generations
Definition of Computer
• Computer is a programmable machine.

• Machine that manipulates data according to a


list of instructions.

• A device which helps humans in performing


various kinds of computations or calculations.
Three principles characteristic of computer:

• It responds to a specific set of instructions in a


well-defined manner.

• It can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions.

• It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts


of data.
Earliest Computer
• Originally calculations were computed by humans, whose
job title was computers.
• These human computers were typically engaged in the
calculation of a mathematical expression.
• The calculations of this period were specialized and
expensive , requiring years of training in mathematics.
• The first use of the word“ computer“ was recorded in 1613
, referring to a person who carried out calculations, or
computations, and the word continued to be used in that
sense until the middle of the 20th century.
Abacus
An abacus is a mechanical device used to aid an individual
in performing mathematical calculations.

The abacus was invented in Babylonia in 2400 B.C.

The abacus in the form we are most familiar with was first
used in China in around 500 B.C.

It was used to perform basic

arithmetic operations.
Napier’s Bones
Invented by John Napier in 1614.

Allowed the operator to multiply, divide and


calculate square and cube roots by moving the rods
around and placing them in specially constructed
boards.
Slide Rule
Invented by William Oughtred in1622.
Is based on Napier's ideas about logarithms.
Used primarily for
–multiplication
–division
–roots
–logarithms
–Trigonometry
•Not normally used for addition or subtraction.
Difference Engine and Analytical Engine
It an automatic, mechanical calculator designed to tabulate
polynomial functions.
Invented by Charles Babbage in1822 and 1834
It is the first mechanical computer

Difference engine Analytical engine


First Computer Programmer
• In 1840, Augusta Ada Byron suggests to Babbage that
he use the binary system.

• She writes programs for the Analytical Engine.


The first electronic general-purpose computer
ENIAC
ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer.
•It was the first electronic general-purpose computer.
•Completed in 1946.
•Developed by John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchl
The first commercial computer
UNIVAC 1: I
The UNIVAC I(UNIVersal Automatic Computer 1)
was the first commercial computer.
Designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly
The First Stored Program Computer
EDVAC:
EDVAC stands for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic
Computer
The First Stored Program Computer
Designed by Von Neumann in 1952.
It has a memory to hold both a stored program as well as data.
Computer Generations
There are five generations of computer:
• First generation–1946 -1958

• Second generation–1959 -1964

• Third generation–1965 -1970

• Fourth generation–1971 -today

• Fifth generation–Today to future


The First Generation
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and
magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous,
taking up entire rooms.

• They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a


great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was
often the cause of malfunctions.
• First generation computers relied on machine language, the
lowest-level programming language understood by computers,
to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem
at a time.

• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output
was displayed on printouts.
The Second Generation
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and lead in the second
generation of computers.

• One transistor replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.

• Allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more


energy-efficient and more reliable.

• Still generated a great deal of heat that can damage the computer
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine
language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed
programmers to specify instructions in words.

Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for


input and printouts for output.

These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in
their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic
core technology.
The Third Generation
• The development of the integrated circuit was the lead of the
third generation of computers.
• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called
semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and
efficiency of computers.
• Much smaller and cheaper compared to the second generation
computers.
• It could carry out instructions in billionths of a second.
• Users interacted with third generation computers through
keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system,
which allowed the device to run many different applications at
one time with a central program that monitored the memory.

• Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass


audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their
predecessors.
The Fourth Generation
The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as
thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip.

•As these small computers became more powerful, they could be


linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the
development of the Internet.

•Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the


mouse and handheld devices
The Fifth Generation
• Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• Still in development.

• The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to


make artificial intelligence a reality.

• The goal is to develop devices that respond to natural language


input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

• There are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are


being used today.
END OF LECTURE
Questions ?

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