Lesson 1: History of Computers

Blaise Pascal

The first accurate mechanical calculator was invented in 1942 by

Floppy Disk

A flexible removable magnetic disk, typically encased in hard plastic, used for storing data.

Java

A high-level programming language used to create applications for Web sites.

Colossus

A set of computers that are considered first programmable, electronic, digital computers

Hollerith's Tabulating Machine

An early computing machine that used punched cards and metal pins. It was used to compile the 1890 US census.

Harvard Mark I

Computer built as a partnership between Harvard and IBM. This was one of the first programmable digital computers made in the U.S.

tyranny of numbers

Computers reached a limit to the amount of transistors a computer could contain and wire together.

Colossus computer

Developed by British to break German codes during WWII.

Alan Turing

English mathematician who used his machine to break German codes during World War II (1912-1954)

Herman Hollerith

Founded the Tabulating Machine Company , which later became IBM.

Charles Babbage

He is known as the "Father of Computers." He developed the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine. These two machines were powered by steam to move the punch cards and operate the gears. His ideas were later used to design calculators and computers.

Babbage Analytical Engine

In 1834 __________ included components of RAM, CPU, and input/output devices that are used in today's computers.

Integrated Circuit

In 1956, Jack Kilby, from Texas Instruments, invented the ______, which could store thousands of transistors on a single chip.

Altair

In 1975, Popular Electronics magazine advertised the _________ as the first computer available for personal use.

Abacus

One of the first inventions created for counting and recording large numbers in ancient times, possibly as far back as 2700 B.C.

FORTRAN

One of the original high level languages, short for Formula Translation, created by John Backus to make programming easier for math and science applications.

PDP-11

The _________ was designed to provide a powerful and flexible instruction set within the constraints of a 16-bit minicomputer.

Transistor

The _________, which can alter its electric state between on and off, is the basic building block for computer circuitry.

ENIAC

The ___________ is considered to be the first general purpose high-speed electronic digital computer.

Vacuum Tubes (1940's)

They were electronic devices that controlled the flow of electricity in and out of a computer. They looked like long light bulbs.

Pascal's Calculator

This mechanical device performed basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and was invented in 1642

relays

devices that automatically turn switches in electric circuits on and off

Grace Hopper

worked in computation lab in Harvard, one of the pioneers that created the software for computers, introduced the term "debugging"

Microprocessor

an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer.

UNIVAC

Which computer was the first computer designed for U.S. business?

Ada Lovelace

Who is considered the first computer programmer?

step reckoner

a digital mechanical calculator invented by the German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Moore's Law

a predication made by Gordon Moore in 1965 that computing power will double every 1.5-2 years, it has remained more or less true ever since.