| The volume and use of computers in the world | | | | so that by about 1890, the range of |
| are so great, they have become difficult to ignore | | | | improvements included: Accumulation of partial |
| anymore. Computers appear to us in so many | | | | results, storage and automatic reentry of past |
| ways that many times, we fail to see them as | | | | results (A memory function), and printing of the |
| they actually are. People associated with a | | | | results. Each of these required manual installation. |
| computer when they purchased their morning | | | | These improvements were mainly made for |
| coffee at the vending machine. As they drove | | | | commercial users, and not for the needs of |
| themselves to work, the traffic lights that so | | | | science.While Thomas of Colmar was developing |
| often hampered us are controlled by computers in | | | | the desktop calculator, a series of very interesting |
| an attempt to speed the journey. Accept it or | | | | developments in computers was started in |
| not, the computer has invaded our life.The origins | | | | Cambridge, England, by Charles Babbage (of which |
| and roots of computers started out as many | | | | the computer store "Babbages" is named), a |
| other inventions and technologies have in the past. | | | | mathematics professor. In 1812, Babbage realized |
| They evolved from a relatively simple idea or plan | | | | that many long calculations, especially those |
| designed to help perform functions easier and | | | | needed to make mathematical tables, were really |
| quicker. The first basic type of computers were | | | | a series of predictable actions that were |
| designed to do just that; compute!. They | | | | constantly repeated. From this he suspected that |
| performed basic math functions such as | | | | it should be possible to do these automatically. He |
| multiplication and division and displayed the results | | | | began to design an automatic mechanical |
| in a variety of methods. Some computers | | | | calculating machine, which he called a difference |
| displayed results in a binary representation of | | | | engine. By 1822, he had a working model to |
| electronic lamps. Binary denotes using only ones | | | | demonstrate. Financial help from the British |
| and zeros thus, lit lamps represented ones and | | | | Government was attained and Babbage started |
| unlit lamps represented zeros. The irony of this is | | | | fabrication of a difference engine in 1823. It was |
| that people needed to perform another | | | | intended to be steam powered and fully |
| mathematical function to translate binary to | | | | automatic, including the printing of the resulting |
| decimal to make it readable to the user.One of | | | | tables, and commanded by a fixed instruction |
| the first computers was called ENIAC. It was a | | | | program.The difference engine, although having |
| huge, monstrous size nearly that of a standard | | | | limited adaptability and applicability, was really a |
| railroad car. It contained electronic tubes, heavy | | | | great advance. Babbage continued to work on it |
| gauge wiring, angle-iron, and knife switches just to | | | | for the next 10 years, but in 1833 he lost interest |
| name a few of the components. It has become | | | | because he thought he had a better idea; the |
| difficult to believe that computers have evolved | | | | construction of what would now be called a |
| into suitcase sized micro-computers of the | | | | general purpose, fully program-controlled, |
| 1990's.Computers eventually evolved into less | | | | automatic mechanical digital computer. Babbage |
| archaic looking devices near the end of the 1960's. | | | | called this idea an Analytical Engine. The ideas of |
| Their size had been reduced to that of a small | | | | this design showed a lot of foresight, although this |
| automobile and they were processing segments | | | | couldn't be appreciated until a full century later.The |
| of information at faster rates than older models. | | | | plans for this engine required an identical decimal |
| Most computers at this time were termed | | | | computer operating on numbers of 50 decimal |
| "mainframes" due to the fact that many | | | | digits (or words) and having a storage capacity |
| computers were linked together to perform a | | | | (memory) of 1,000 such digits. The built-in |
| given function. The primary user of these types | | | | operations were supposed to include everything |
| of computers were military agencies and large | | | | that a modern general - purpose computer would |
| corporations such as Bell, AT&T, General Electric, | | | | need, even the all important Conditional Control |
| and Boeing. Organizations such as these had the | | | | Transfer Capability that would allow commands to |
| funds to afford such technologies. However, | | | | be executed in any order, not just the order in |
| operation of these computers required extensive | | | | which they were programmed.As people can see, |
| intelligence and manpower resources. The average | | | | it took quite a large amount of intelligence and |
| person could not have fathomed trying to | | | | fortitude to come to the 1990's style and use of |
| operate and use these million dollar | | | | computers. People have assumed that computers |
| processors.The United States was attributed the | | | | are a natural development in society and take |
| title of pioneering the computer. It was not until | | | | them for granted. Just as people have learned to |
| the early 1970's that nations such as Japan and | | | | drive an automobile, it also takes skill and learning |
| the United Kingdom started utilizing technology of | | | | to utilize a computer.Computers in society have |
| their own for the development of the computer. | | | | become difficult to understand. Exactly what they |
| This resulted in newer components and smaller | | | | consisted of and what actions they performed |
| sized computers. The use and operation of | | | | were highly dependent upon the type of |
| computers had developed into a form that people | | | | computer. To say a person had a typical |
| of average intelligence could handle and manipulate | | | | computer doesn't necessarily narrow down just |
| without to much ado. When the economies of | | | | what the capabilities of that computer was. |
| other nations started to compete with the United | | | | Computer styles and types covered so many |
| States, the computer industry expanded at a | | | | different functions and actions, that it was difficult |
| great rate. Prices dropped dramatically and | | | | to name them all. The original computers of the |
| computers became more affordable to the | | | | 1940's were easy to define their purpose when |
| average household.Like the invention of the wheel, | | | | they were first invented. They primarily |
| the computer is here to stay.The operation and | | | | performed mathematical functions many times |
| use of computers in our present era of the | | | | faster than any person could have calculated. |
| 1990's has become so easy and simple that | | | | However, the evolution of the computer had |
| perhaps we may have taken too much for | | | | created many styles and types that were greatly |
| granted. Almost everything of use in society | | | | dependent on a well defined purpose.The |
| requires some form of training or education. Many | | | | computers of the 1990's roughly fell into three |
| people say that the predecessor to the computer | | | | groups consisting of mainframes, networking units, |
| was the typewriter. The typewriter definitely | | | | and personal computers. Mainframe computers |
| required training and experience in order to | | | | were extremely large sized modules and had the |
| operate it at a usable and efficient level. Children | | | | capabilities of processing and storing massive |
| are being taught basic computer skills in the | | | | amounts of data in the form of numbers and |
| classroom in order to prepare them for the | | | | words. Mainframes were the first types of |
| future evolution of the computer age.The history | | | | computers developed in the 1940's. Users of |
| of computers started out about 2000 years ago, | | | | these types of computers ranged from banking |
| at the birth of the abacus, a wooden rack holding | | | | firms, large corporations and government |
| two horizontal wires with beads strung on them. | | | | agencies. They usually were very expensive in |
| When these beads are moved around, according | | | | cost but designed to last at least five to ten |
| to programming rules memorized by the user, all | | | | years. They also required well educated and |
| regular arithmetic problems can be done. Another | | | | experienced manpower to be operated and |
| important invention around the same time was | | | | maintained. Larry Wulforst, in his book |
| the Astrolabe, used for navigation.Blaise Pascal is | | | | Breakthrough to the Computer Age, describes |
| usually credited for building the first digital | | | | the old mainframes of the 1940's compared to |
| computer in 1642. It added numbers entered with | | | | those of the 1990's by speculating, "...the contrast |
| dials and was made to help his father, a tax | | | | to the sound of the sputtering motor powering |
| collector. In 1671, Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz | | | | the first flights of the Wright Brothers at Kitty |
| invented a computer that was built in 1694. It | | | | Hawk and the roar of the mighty engines on a |
| could add, and, after changing some things around, | | | | Cape Canaveral launching pad". End of part |
| multiply. Leibnitz invented a special stopped gear | | | | one.Works CitedWulforst, Harry. Breakthrough to |
| mechanism for introducing the addend digits, and | | | | the Computer Age. New York: Charles Scribner's |
| this is still being used.The prototypes made by | | | | Sons, 1982.Palferman, Jon and Doron Swade. The |
| Pascal and Leibnitz were not used in many places, | | | | Dream Machine. London: BBC Books, |
| and considered weird until a little more than a | | | | 1991.Campbell-Kelly, Martin and William Aspray. |
| century later, when Thomas of Colmar (A.K.A. | | | | Computer, A History of the Information Machine. |
| Charles Xavier Thomas) created the first | | | | New York: BasicBooks, 1996.You may visit and |
| successful mechanical calculator that could add, | | | | for instant access to over 45,000 plus term |
| subtract, multiply, and divide. A lot of improved | | | | papers and essays. You may have all of these |
| desktop calculators by many inventors followed, | | | | quality papers for only $19.95. |