History of Computers

These flashcards cover vocabulary and significant developments in the history of computing based on the lecture notes.

Abacus

An ancient calculating tool consisting of beads strung on rods, used to perform arithmetic operations.

Leibniz Machine

A mechanical device designed to perform basic arithmetic operations, with addition capabilities built into its hardware.

Babbage’s Analytical Engine

A proposed mechanical general-purpose computer designed by Charles Babbage, considered programmable and capable of reading instructions from punched cards.

Ada Lovelace

Recognized as the world's first programmer for her work on Babbage's Analytical Engine.

Punched Cards

Medium for communicating instructions, consisting of cards with holes that represent data or commands.

Electromechanical Machine

Computers that utilized mechanical parts controlled by electrical signals, exemplified by devices like the Mark 1.

Fully Electronic Computer

Computers that replaced electromechanical components with vacuum tubes, allowing for faster and more reliable operations.

Integrated Circuits

Miniaturized circuits that combine multiple electronic components on a single chip, revolutionizing computer size and performance.

Desktop Computer

Personal computers designed to fit on a desk, integral to the popularization of computing.

Personal Computer (PC)

The term for computers that evolved from IBM's original PC, including desktops and laptops.

World Wide Web

A system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed through the internet, proposed by Tim Berners-Lee.

Search Engines

Tools that index and retrieve information from the web, enabling users to find resources based on keywords.

Hand-Held Computers

Compact computing devices with significant capabilities, including smartphones equipped with various sensors and wireless technologies.

Vacuum Tubes

Early electronic components used in first-generation computers, known for their size, heat generation, and unreliability. This generation of computers relied on machine languages, the lowest-level programming languages understood by computers

ENIAC

One of the first electronic general-purpose computers, using vacuum tubes and capable of completing calculations within milliseconds.

Transistors

Electronic components that replaced vacuum tubes in second-generation computers, known for reliability and efficiency. The smaller electronic components in the second generation could maintain two states, “Off” and “On,” represented by the binary digits 0 and 1, respectively. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output. Tapes and disks were used for storage purposes.

Assembly Languages

Programming languages that use symbolic instructions rather than binary, facilitating easier coding for computers.

High-Level Programming Languages

Languages like FORTRAN and COBOL that allow for more complex programming without needing to manage hardware directly.

Third Generation Computers

Computers characterized by integrated circuits, allowing for faster operation and the use of operating systems. Operating systems made it possible for computers to run multiple applications at the same time and to share memory and other resources. use high-level languages, and are portable and economical.

Microprocessors

Processors that integrate thousands of circuits on a single chip, marking the fourth generation of computers.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A visual interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices using graphics, enhancing usability.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The capability of a computer to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning and problem-solving.

Quantum Computing

A paradigm of computing that uses quantum mechanics to enhance processing capabilities, potentially outperforming classical computers.

Nanotechnology

Technology that manipulates matter on an atomic or molecular scale, applicable in various fields including medicine and electronics.

Machine Languages

The lowest-level programming languages that computers understand, consisting of binary code.

EDVAC

A notable first-generation computer designed for electronic discrete variable automatic computation.

UNIVAC

One of the first commercially available computers, pivotal in the history of computing.

IBM-701

The first commercial scientific computer produced by IBM, launched in the early 1950s.

CDC 1604

Early transistorized computer developed by Control Data Corporation, marking a significant advancement in computing technology.

FORTRAN

A high-level programming language designed for scientific and engineering applications, first created in the 1950s.

COBOL

A high-level programming language designed for business applications, widely used in the 1960s and beyond.

PDP-8

One of the first commercially successful minicomputers, part of the third generation of computers.

Intel 4004

The first commercially available microprocessor, developed in 1971, marking a milestone in computing history.

MS-DOS

An operating system for personal computers developed by Microsoft, significant in the rise of PC usability.

Fifth Generation Computers

Computers that are under development focusing on AI, capable of advanced processing and problem-solving. These systems can run multiple programs concurrently and are based on artificial intelligence (AI). supports the development of artificial intelligence and natural language processing

Ultra-Large-Scale Integration (ULSI)

A method of integrating a large number of components on a single chip, key to advancements in fifth-generation computing.

Molecular Technology

The application of principles of molecular science to create new materials and devices at a molecular scale.

Neural Networks

Systems modeled after the human brain, used in AI to recognize patterns and improve learning processes.

Which generation of computing is associated with microprocessors?

Fourth

Which computing generation is associated with the exclusive use of machine languages and punch cards?

First

Which computing generation is associated with the replacement of machine languages by assembly languages?

Second

Which computing generation is associated with the first use of thousands of integrated circuits on a single silicon chip?

fourth

Which generation of computing is known for the introduction of handheld devices?

fourth

which generation could maintain two states?

second generation