Introduction to Computers and the World Wide Web

Flashcards covering the history of computing milestones from 3000 BC to present, the evolution of the World Wide Web, various types of computer systems, hardware components, and software classifications.

Abacus

(3000 BC) The earliest known computing device, invented in ancient Mesopotamia, consisting of beads on rods used for arithmetic calculations.

Pascal's Calculator (Pascaline)

(1642 AD) A mechanical calculator invented by Blaise Pascal, capable of addition and subtraction.

Jacquard Loom

(1801) A programmable loom created by Joseph Marie Jacquard that uses punched cards to control patterns.

Difference Engine

(1822) A mechanical computer designed by Charles Babbage, capable of automatically computing polynomial functions.

Analytical Engine

(1837) The machine for which Ada Lovelace is credited with writing the first computer program.

Tabulating Machines

(Late 1800s) Punched card machines developed by Herman Hollerith, used to process data for the 1890 U.S. Census.

Turing Machine

(1936) A theoretical computing device introduced by Alan Turing that can simulate any algorithmic process.

First Electronic Digital Computer

(1937) Designed by Claude Shannon at MIT using switches and relays.

Konrad Zuse's Z3

(1941) Considered the first programmable digital computer, using electromechanical relays.

Colossus

(1943-1945) A British computer that was the first programmable digital electronic computer to crack codes.

ENIAC

(1943-1945) A U.S.-developed general-purpose computer.

Transistors

(1947) Invented by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley, revolutionizing computing technology.

UNIVAC I

(1951) The first commercially available computer, delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau.

IBM 701

(1953) IBM's first commercially successful general-purpose computer.

FORTRAN

(1954) The first high-level programming language, developed by John Backus and his team at IBM.

Integrated Circuits

(1958) Independently invented by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, leading to the miniaturization of computers.

IBM System/360

(1964) A family of compatible mainframe computers that established compatibility standards in the computer industry.

ARPANET

(1969) The precursor to the modern internet, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense's ARPA.

Microprocessor (Intel 4004)

(1971) The first microprocessor, introduced by Intel, leading to the birth of personal computers.

Ethernet

(1973) Networking technology developed by Bob Metcalfe at Xerox PARC, foundation of local area networks (LANs).

IBM PC

(1981) The first widely successful mass-produced personal computer.

TCP/IP

(1983) The Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol, standardized to form the basis of the modern internet.

World Wide Web

(1991) Introduced by Tim Berners-Lee, revolutionizing internet access to information and communication.

Mosaic Browser

(1993) A web browser that popularized web browsing and paved the way for modern web browsers.

Dot-com Bubble

(Late 1990s) A period of rapid internet growth and speculative investment that burst in the early 2000s.

Smartphones (iPhone)

(2007) Apple's release that kickstarted the era of smartphones combining computing, communication, and multimedia.

Cloud Computing

(2010s) Technology allowing users to access and store data/applications remotely over the internet.

AI, Quantum Computing, and Beyond

(Present Day) Advancements currently shaping the future of computing.

CERN

The European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland where Tim Berners-Lee worked in the late 1980s.

Information Management: A Proposal

The title of the proposal Tim Berners-Lee submitted to his superiors at CERN in March 1989.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

The protocol developed by Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau for communication between servers and clients.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

The language developed by Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau for creating web pages.

WorldWideWeb (Nexus)

The name of the first web browser, created in 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee.

NeXT computer

The type of computer system Berners-Lee used to set up the first-ever web server in August 1991.

NCSA

The National Center for Supercomputing Applications, which released the Mosaic web browser in 1993.

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

Founded by Tim Berners-Lee in 1994 to develop and maintain web standards for compatibility and interoperability.

Web 2.0

(2000s) An era emphasizing user-generated content, social networking (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), and interactive web experiences.

Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)

The identifiers used for documents and resources on the World Wide Web.

Desktop Computer

A traditional computer designed to be placed on a desk.

Workstation

A high-performance computer used for complex tasks like graphic design, video editing, and scientific simulations.

Server

A computer designed to provide services, resources, or data to other client computers over a network.

Mainframe

A large and powerful computer used for data processing and handling heavy workloads.

Supercomputer

An extremely powerful computer designed for performing complex calculations at unparalleled speeds.

Embedded System

A computer integrated into other devices or systems for specific functions.

Tablet

A touchscreen device with computing capabilities, larger than a smartphone but smaller than a laptop.

Wearable Computer

A small computing device worn on the body, often used for tracking health and fitness data.

Point-of-Sale (POS) System

A computer used in retail environments for processing sales and managing inventory.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The "brain" of the computer that performs calculations, data processing, and executes program instructions.

Motherboard

The main circuit board that connects all computer components and provides data pathways.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Temporary memory where data is stored while the computer is running for faster access.

Storage Devices (HDD/SSD)

Devices like Hard Disk Drives and Solid-State Drives used to store data permanently.

PSU (Power Supply Unit)

Provides electrical power to various components by converting wall outlet electricity into a usable form.

GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)

Also known as a graphics card, it is responsible for rendering images, videos, and animations.

NIC (Network Interface Card)

Enables the computer to connect to networks such as Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

Computer Software

A collection of programs, data, and instructions that tell a computer how to perform various tasks.

System Software

Software responsible for managing and controlling the hardware components of a computer system.

Operating System (OS)

The core software that provides a user interface and manages hardware resources; examples include Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Device Drivers

Software components that facilitate communication between the operating system and hardware devices.

Application Software

Software designed to perform specific tasks for the user, such as productivity software, web browsers, or entertainment software.

Programming Software

Tools used by software developers to create, debug, and test software applications.