katyzzz - a short history of computers
December 13th 2006 06:08
Signature tune
We must go back 2000 years to the abacus where the first rules of programming were used for arithmetic.
Blaise Pascal holds the credit for the first digital computer built in 1642 to assist his father in tax collection.
The first calculator was used by Charles Xavier Thomas for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Its use was for business rather than Science.
Charles Babbage, a mathematics professor, worked on a 'difference engine', before realising he could design a computer, which he called an analytical engine.
This went on to be the basis for punched cards.
Mathematical Physics and the recognition of the uses of differential equations and calculus enabled such things as the centre of gravity. centre of buoyancy, moment of inertia and stress distributions to be determined. Even the assessment of the power of a steam engine needed mathematical integration.
The repetitive nature of such calculations made the need for computers even more pressing.
World War 11 accelerated this need for electronic computers.
Most of us are familiar with just how large and fragile the first computers were, requiring the need for handling with kid gloves.
It was in the 50's that time sharing allowed faster processing and in the 60's a turning point was reached when capacity and speed increased. The needs of business began to be served more. The use of CPU's increased and spread to hospitals, libraries and chemical records.
From the 70's on we saw increasingly rapid developments which have progressed to the modern day facilities and uses provided and computers serve most areas of our daily existence.
This is a precis, if a very brief one of the blog to which I provide a link. Full credit must go to its authoritative author.
Just click, to learn more. It has been meticulously prepared.
The Author
I said I would do this some time ago and at last I have managed to do it.
| 41 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
