COMP 001 LEC 2: History of Computers

What is an Abacus?

Calculating tool. It can Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, Square root.

What is a Pascaline?

Initially called an arithmetic machine. It is an adding machine that could add and subtract.

What is a Leibniz Calculator?

Actually named Stepped Reckoner. It can Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide.

What is an Analytical Engine?

First mechanical computer. It contained many similar elements to modern digital computers. It used the punched card to store data.

What is a Tabulating Machine?

A counting machine used in 1890 US Census. It used punched cards.

What is a Turing Machine?

An abstract computing machine that encapsulated the fundamental logical principles of a digital computer.

What are the Z1-Z4?

Created by Konrad Zuse. He faced a serious problem while studying construction. It was hard to be done by means of mechanical calculator of his time. Hence, he created the Z1-Z4. It was running at around 2-5 hertz. However, it was not commercialized since it was made during WW2.

What is the Harvard Mark 1?

it is a room-sized, relay-based calculator. It is used to produce mathematical tables but superseded by stored program computers.

What is the HP 200A Audio Oscillator?

Popular piece of test equipment for engineers. It is used for creating sound effects. It was used in the 1940 movie “Fantasia”

What is a Vacuum Tube?

Main component of most computers, machines, and appliances back then. It easily heats up and is big and bulky.

What is the Atanasoff Berry Computer?

It is the first electronic digital computer. It was built at Iowa State College (now University).

With who did ABC had a patent dispute with relating to which is the first electronic digital computer?

ENIAC. ABC won when it was shown that ENIAC co-designer John Mauchly had come to examine the ABC shortly after it became functional.

What is the Colossus?

It was designed to break the complex Lorenz ciphers used by Nazis during WW2. It used Alan Turing’s crypt analysis design.

What is the ENIAC?

Supposed to be used for WW2, but not completed until one year after the war had ended

The ENIAC was heralded in the press as what?

Giant Brain

What are some of the characteristics of ENIAC?

It has a speed of 1000 times that of electro-mechanical machines. It is heavy, huge, and consumes power hugely (every time it is used, the lights in Philadelphia dims)

What is the EDVAC?

It is the successor of ENIAC. Improvements were made.

What is the Manchester Mark I?

It is the first stored program digital computer. Prototype for the Ferranti Mark I

What is the EDSAC?

Early British Computer. Second electronic digital stored-program computer. First calculated a table of squares and prime numbers

What is a transistor?

It is more compact and offers more storage. It paved the way for smaller computers.

What is the UNIVAC?

First general purpose computer. Used in 1951 USA elections that predicted the winner

What is SAGE?

Gigantic computerized air defense system. Helped the Air Force track radar data. It has modems and graphical displays.

How big is SAGE?

Weighed 300 tons and occupied one floor

What is NEAC?

Drum-based, one of the earliest transistorized Japanese computer. Used for business, scientific, engineering (general purpose).

What is CDC 6600?

First successful supercomputer. For a time, the fastest machine in the world.

What is IBM System 360?

Family of six manually compatible computers and 40 peripherals that could work together

Integrated Circuits and Chips

Paved the way for the development of small computers

DEC PDP

First successful minicomputer. Sold more than 50,000 units upon release, the most of any computers at that time. Sold for $18,000, one-fifth of a small IBM 360 Mainframe. Fast, small, affordable.

How successful was DEC PDP?

Sold more than 50,000 units upon release, the most of any computers up to that time. Sold for $18,000, one-fifth the price of a small IBM 360 mainframe

Apollo Guidance Computer

Made its debut orbiting the Earth on Apollo 7. A year later, it steered Apollo 11 to the lunar surface (moon)

How did astronauts communicated with the Apollo Guidance Computer?

Astronauts communicated with it by punching two-digit codes and appropriate syntactic category

Interface Message Processor

Performed a critical task in the development of the ARPANET, the world’s first operational packet switching network, and the predecessor of the contemporary global internet

When was the Interface Message Processor conceived?

During Cold War, when the US government sought a way to protect their network of computers in case a nuclear attack happened.

What did Interface Message Processor featured?

Featured first generation gateways, today known as routers

Kenbak 1

World’ first “personal computer”. Only sold 40 units

Why did Kenbak 1 fail?

Lacks microprocessor, and only had 256 bytes. Its only output was a series of blinking lights

Altair 8800

First real mainstream personal computer. Within weeks of release, customers inundated MITS with orders

Apple I

It managed to sell 50 pre-built models to The Byte shop in Mountain View, California. It paved the way for Apple II.

Apple II

Instant success with printed circuit motherboard, switching power supply, keyboard, case assembly, manual, game paddles, A/C powercord, and cassette tape with the computer game "Breakout.". When hooked up to a color television set, the Apple II produced brilliant color graphics.

Cray

A supercomputer. At the time, was the fastest computing machine in the world. Price tag was between $5 and $10 million, but still sold well

TRS

Tandy Color Computer. Computer with disk drive

VAX 780

Mini computer that can address up to 4.3 GB of virtual memory

Atari 400

Game console by Atari

Atari 800

Home/business computer by Atari

IBM PC

First venture of IBM into PC

How did IBM ignite a fast growth on the PC market?

Helped pushed personal computing out of hobbyist’s garage and into the corporate and consumer mainstream (most companies used this computer)

Osborne

Portable computer and keyboard can be closed

Commodore 64

Many games can be played here. Hence, why it is popular

Hewlett Packard 150

Touchscreen computer

Apple Lisa

Created by Steve Jobs. Looked really great but did not sell due to high price

Apple Macintosh

Made PC Market boom. Easy to use due to icons. Hence, why it sold really well

NeXT

Created by Steve Jobs, when Steve Jobs was fired at Apple

Deep Blue

One of the earliest record of AI. Made by IBM. Won against youngest grandmaster Garry Kasparov during 2nd year of competition

Blackberry

Usually used by executives and CEOs. Can use email. Very successful

iPhone

First touchscreen smartphone. Sold very well

Google Glass

Not successful due to privacy issues

Google Glass Enterprise Edition

Reinvention of Google Glass. Used by people who needs job to be hands free. Was not successful as well. Discontinued in 2023

Smartwatch Fitbit

Measure steps, heartbeat, and other parameters. Used by health conscious

VR Headset

Gaming. Virtual travel

Electronic skin (E-skin) patch

Used for advanced healthcare monitoring. Collects heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure. A wearable that can collect data. Used for healthcare monitoring