History Of Computer

History of computer

Humans are always needed to perform arithmetic operations like counting and adding. In old times people used to do calculations either on the fingers or by scratching marks on the stone and then with the help of stones, pebbles, and beads. The word computing means “an act of calculating” the evolution of computers has passed through a number of stages to reach the present state of development. In fact, the history of computers comprises a gradual development from a simple abacus to the electronic computers we use today.

 
 Abacus

Abacus is the first calculating device. It was developed by Chinese people about 3,000 years ago as the first device to do calculations. It can perform the calculations like addition and subtractions. Calculations are performed by manipulating the beads. Abacus is a rectangular box divided into two parts. The upper part is called Heaven which has two beads and the lower part is called Earth consisting of five beads. 
 
Napier's Bone

Napier’s bone was invented by John Napier a Scottish mathematician in 1614. It is capable of performing multiplications of two numbers. Multiplication tables were inscribed on the strips of wood or bone. It was mainly used for multiplication.
 
Slide Rule 

The slide rule was invented by William Oughtred, an English mathematician in 1620. It is an analog device that uses the principle of logarithms. It can perform simple multiplication and division.
 
Pascaline

Pascaline was developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642. It was capable of performing additions and subtractions by the movement of wheels of 8 digits as it contains 8 dials, gear, and wheels. It could not do division and multiplication.
 
 Stepped Reckoner

 Stepped reckoner was invented by Gottfried Leibniz a German mathematician and philosopher in 1964. It could evaluate square roots by a series of stepped additions. It could perform basic arithmetic functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It was also called Leibniz’s calculator.

Jacquard Loom

The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1881. It is an automatic loom controlled by punched cards. 

 
Difference Engine

Difference engine was developed by Charles Babbage in 1822 it is capable of solving equations. However, this project was unable to complete due to lack of funds.
 
Analytical Engine

Analytical Engine was developed by Charles Babbage in 1833. It can store data and intermediate results. It had also a unit for calculation. The analytical engine worked on the principle of input, processing, and output. The modern computer is based on this principle so Charles Babbage is known as the father of computer science.
 
Tabulating Machine

Dr. Herman Hollerith in 1887 developed tabulating machine. It was used by the American department of Census to compile the 1890 census. In 1896 he founded the tabulating machine company which was renamed as IBM (International Business Machine)
 
UNIVAC

UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was developed by John Mauchly and J.P Eckert in 1951. It consisted of Magnetic tape for input and output of the data. Univac is the first general-purpose electronic digital computer designed for commercial use.
 
Mark-I

Mark-I is Invented by Howard H. Aiken in 1943. It is also known as IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC). Mark-I is the first electro-mechanical computer.
 
Atanasoff-Berry Computer(ABC)

It was the first electronic digital computer. It was invented by Professor John Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry at Iowa State University between 1939 and 1942.

EDVAC

EDVAC stands for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer. The First Stored Program Computer. It was designed by Von Neumann in 1952. It has a memory to hold both a stored program as well as data.

ENIAC

ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. ENIAC was the first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer Completed in 1946. It was developed by John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly.

Lady Augusta ADA Lovelace

Lady Augusta ADA Love was the world's first programmer. She wrote the program for the analytical engine designed by Charles Babbage.