Computer History
machine language
1s and 0s
the Apple I
Apple's first computer - the first computer to be sold with a pre-assembled motherboard, even though it didn't include a case
the Macintosh
Apple's innovative computer that helped propel computers into the mainstream - it was also Apple's first (successful) computer that used a mouse and a GUI-based operating system
the Apple II
Apple's second computer - the first commercial computer to be sold as a completely pre-assembled unit
the IBM Personal Computer 5150
IBM's first PC, which helped transition computers from hobbyists to businessmen
BASIC
a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use
PC
a term that stands for "personal computer," which was coined in 1981 by IBM with the IBM Personal Computer 5150
transistor
a tiny switch that can be triggered by electric signals
vacuum tube
an electron tube containing a near-vacuum that was used as a diode in early computers
integrated circuit
an electronic circuit formed on a small piece of semiconducting material, performing the same function as a larger circuit made from discrete components
microprocessor
an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer
46
how many UNIVACs where delivered
assembly language
mnemonics (nop, jmp, etc.)
Steve Jobs
one of the co-founders of Apple
Steve Wozniak
one of the co-founders of Apple
Bill Gates
one of the co-founders of Microsoft
Paul Allen
one of the co-founders of Microsoft
Hewlett-Packard
the company Steve Wozniak worked for before he co-founded Apple
the UNIVAC
the first commercial computer
MITS Altair 8800
the first commercially available computer, although it was almost completely useless and primarily used by hobbyists
1940-1956
the first computer generation - vacuum tubes
vacuum tubes
the first computer generation, which lasted from 1940 to 1956
the Xerox Alto
the first computer to use an operating system based on a GUI
the ENIAC
the first general-purpose all-electronic digital computer
VisiCalc
the first spreadsheet program for a computer - released for the Apple II by VisiCorp in 1979
1971-now
the fourth computer generation - microprocessors
microprocessors
the fourth computer generation, which lasted from 1971 to now
J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly
the inventors of the ENIAC
J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly
the inventors of the UNIVAC
18,000
the number of vacuum tubes the ENIAC contained
5,600
the number of vacuum tubes the UNIVAC contained
Microsoft PC-DOS
the operating system the IBM Personal Computer 5150 used
to answer Apple
the reason IBM released the IBM Personal Computer 5150
to sell BASIC interpreters for the MITS Altair 8800
the reason Microsoft was founded
1956-1963
the second computer generation - transistors
transistors
the second computer generation, which lasted from 1956 to 1963
1964-1971
the third computer generation - integrated circuits
integrated circuits
the third computer generation, which lasted from 1964 to 1971
1976
the year Apple was founded
1975
the year Microsoft started
1979
the year VisiCalc was released
1973
the year Xerox released the Xerox Alto
1976
the year the Apple I was released
1977
the year the Apple II was released
1981
the year the IBM Personal Computer 5150 was made
1984
the year the first Macintosh was introduced
1959
the year the integrated circuit was invented
1971
the year the microprocessor was invented
1947
the year the transistor was invented
1904
the year the vacuum tube was invented
electronic numerical integrator and computer
what ENIAC stands for
universal automatic computer
what UNIVAC stands for
general purpose computing
what the UNIVAC was used for
1943-1946
when the ENIAC was built
1974
when the MITS Altair 8800 was made
1951
when the first UNIVAC was delivered
the Smithsonian Institution
where the ENIAC is displayed now
to help with the war effort against German forces
why the ENIAC was built