Computer History, Computer Knowledge

Desktop Microcomputer

a personal computer based on a microprocessor

Laptop or Notebook

a portable computer small enough to use on one's lap

Byte

a sequence of adjacent bits, usually eight, operated on as a unit by a computer

Silicon chip

a small crystal of silicon semiconductor fabricated to carry out a number of electronic functions in an integrated circuit

Terabyte

a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 gigabytes (240 bytes)

Gigabyte

a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 megabytes (230 bytes)

Megabyte

a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,048,576 (220) bytes

Circuits

(a) A closed path followed or capable of being followed by an electric current. (b) A configuration of electrically or electro-magnetically connected components or devises

ABACUS

A Chinese device used to perform arithmetic equations by moving beads along rods

Server

A computer and its associated storage devices that are accessed remotely over a network by users.

ROM - Read Only Memory

A computer chip that stores specific instructions to manage the computer's operation. Unlike main memory, this type of memory is non-volatile—the instructions remain permanently on the chip and cannot be changed.

PASCALINE

An early mechanical calculator capable of performing addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication

VACUUM TUBE

An electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum and represents binary data; used in the construction of first generation computers

TRANSISTOR

Basic building blocks of microchips; a small electronic device used in computers, radios, televisions, etc. for controlling an electric current as it passes along a circuit

ADA LOVELACE

Developed the first computer program - Hypothesized that using analytical engine, the machine could interpret number codes in order to perform specific functions

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

Device consisting of many interconnected transistors; allowed the development of much smaller computers - revolutionized electronic technology

ENIAC

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer; First U.S. built electric computer developed to calculate the settings used for weapons

HOLLERITH

Engineer who designed a tabulating machine (punch card system) and formed the Tabulating Machine Company which later became IBM

UNIVAC

The first commercially successful digital computer. General Electric was the first company to acquire.

System Unit

The main body of a computer, consisting of a plastic or metal enclosure, the motherboard, and (typically) internal disk drives, or power supply, cooling fans, and whatever circuit boards plugged into the motherboard, such as a video card

MHz

Millions of cycles per second, a unit used to measure clock speed in computers.

CHARLES BABBAGE

The "Father of the Computer", an Englishman, who in 1836 produced designs for a "computer" that could conduct algebraic computations using stored memory and punch cards for input and output.

CPU - Central processing unit

The "brains" of the computer, housed on a tiny silicon chip that contains millions of switches and pathways that help your computer interpret and s execute instructions.

JOBS

Co-founder of Apple Computer in 1976 which created Apple I and then Apple II, the first practical and affordable home computer. Apple created the revolutionary Macintosh computer in 1984.

Handheld

Compact enough to be used or operated while being held in the hand or hands: a hand-held video camera

APPLE 1

First home computer to come assembled; developed by Jobs and Wozniak (1976)

ENIGMA

German electro-mechanical machine used for both encryption and decryption during WWII

RAM - Random Access Memory

It is the main memory and stores data and programs while the computer is running. When the computer is turned off anything in main memory disappears. Computer can read from and write to this memory

PUNCH CARDS

Wooden or cardboard pieces with punched holes in predefined positions; used to store and process information in early calculating and computer devices. They were first fed into a loom to create weave patterns on cloth.

Work Station

a desktop computer that is conventionally considered to be more powerful than a microcomputer

Bit

a fundamental unit of information having just two possible values, either 0 or 1

Pentium

the name given to Intel's P5 chip, the successor to the 80486.

Mainframe

A large, powerful, expensive computer system capable of accommodating hundreds of users doing different computing tasks.

Kilobyte

A unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 (210). One thousand bytes

INTERNET

A vast global network connecting millions of computers, making it possible to exchange information.