History Of Computers :: essays research papers

History of ComputersIntroductionThe electronic computing machine has now been utilize commercially for less than 25 years. It grew out of a search lasting centuries for a more accurate, faster way to per operate calculations. Primitive and ancient man used his fingers, shells, beads, sticks, and other objects to keep track of numbers and sums. The development of paper and writing 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 processing of information. Even a manual device may fall under this definition if they ar constructed in such a way that moving them by hand can produce the desired answer. ExampleAbacusThe abacus is the oldest-known mechanical computing aid. Its origin is uncertain. more 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 print times. It is still use d in many parts of the world. The abacus consists of beads strung on rows of wires suspended within a rectangular frame. A common form has a piece of wood dividing the beads, with five beads on one side, and two on the other side of the wood on each wire. figure Machines and their InventorsThrough 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 first mechanical adding machine at age 19 in 1642. He became tired of adding pertinacious 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 lever advanced the neighboring wheel to the left one position when a sum exceeded 10. Punched Card Developmen tMany of us are surprised to learn that the punched card perseverance 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 loom, controlled by punched cards. Fearing that the machine would produce unemployment, workers attacked and destroyed his machine at Lyon. Aided by Napoleon, Jacquard rebuilt his machine, which os credited with promoting a flourishing textile industry in France through the 1800s.