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Dell Computer Corperation
Inventor: Michael Dell
Importaance: Leading seller in computer systems with global market of over 15 percent
Purpose/How it works: Sell computer systems and simular goods and services. (Most popular for the IBM computer)
How it changed the world: Makes personal computer systems accesible to many people, considering the low cost, yet great quality. Had many new techniques in selling these systems, such as selling directly to the customer and personalizing it more than usual. -
Z3 Computer
Inventor: Konrad Zuse
Importance: First digital, programmable, and digital computer all in one.
How it changed the world: Third computer in the series of his "Z" computers, that updated and improved with each new model. Introduced characterestics never seen in a computer before (see Importance and How it works)
Purpose/How it works: Binary floating-point number and switching system. -
ERA 1101
Inventor: Engineering Reasearch Associates of Minneapolis
Importance: One of the first users of this computer was the U.S Navy. Contained earliest magnetic storage device.
How it changed the world: First commercially produced computer.
Purpose/How it worked: A magnetic drum inside held 1 million bits. This "drum" intook information as pulses. -
Spacewar
**Exact day and month unknown
Inventor: Steve Russel
Importance: First computer game.
How it works/purpose: A two player game in which the gamer could control a spaceship and target missles at the opponent while avoiding the gravatational pull of the Sun.
How it changed the world: Was the insperation for more computer games to come. -
Internet
Inventor: Evolved overtime, idea first proposed by J.C.R Licklider
Importance: The Internet contains useful information, social networking, a different form of communication, entertainment purpose, etc.
Purpose/How it works: Open standards allow every network to connect to every other network.
How it changed the world: Allowed more acessibility to information and communication despite distance is just a couple of ways it changed the world. -
Mouse
Inventor: Douglas Englebart
Importance: Instead of just a keyboard con
Purpose/How it works: Allows opperator of computer system to contorl the monitor data with a "pointer" that moves with the movement of the mouse.
How it changed the world: Not all of the monitor's data would rely on the keyboard, now that there's an alternative. Allowed "point and click" programs to exist. -
Floppy disk drive
Inventor: Alan Shuggart
Importance: Keeps information and data on a floppy disk stored on computer.
How it works/purpose: Able to read plastic disks coated in iron oxide with information the computer could read on the surface of the disk.
How it changed the world: The job of the floppy disk evolved to what it now the CD/and or DVD writer. -
Apple 1
Inventors: Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs
Importance: Inspiration and base for Apple II, considered one of the greatest computers of all time.
Purpose/How it works: Designed as bare motherboard, keyboard, and circuitboard. First intended to be sold as a kit for the buyer to put together.
How it changed the world: Beginnings of the Apple Computer Company. -
Adobe
***Exact day and month unkown
Inventors: Charles Geschke and John Warnock
Importance: Original creator of many popular software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and more. Also the creator of the PostScript.
Purpose/How it works: Modernized and revolutionized the digital graphics both on screen and off. -
Microsoft Windows
Inventor: Bill Gates
Importance: First form of a PC or personal computer enviroment on a computer.
Purpose/How it works: " next generation operating system that would provide a graphical user interface (GUI) and a multitasking environment for IBM computers."
How it changed the world: Made computing acessible to masses of people. -
Sim City
Inventor: Maxis (Will Wright)
Importance: First game in the series that inspired more to come because of it's sucsess in simulation, such as SimLife, SimAnt, and more.
How it works/Purpose: A game in which you are mayor of a city in an untouched earth, and progress the city to develop and become sucessful.
How it changed the world: Led the way for more simulation games to come. -
World Wide Web
Inventor: Tim Burners Lee
Importance: Made the Internet easier to use and helpful to people all around the world.
Purpose/How it works: Created: HTML- the format of a website
URL- The words to type in to acess a website, an adress.
HTTP- "Retrieval of linked resources from across the Web".
How it changed the world: Changed the way society communicates and interacts with instat data to almost anything and networking websites. -
DVD
Inventor: Sony and Phillips
Importance: Took the place of VHS's and laserdisc and modernized the idea.
Purpose/How it works: Data is printed on the surface of the disk in tiny bumps called pits.
How it changed the world: The DVD could hold more data and information than the CD, which is why the DVD usually contains movies and shows. -
iMac G3
Inventor: Apple Computer Corperation
Importance: Had a whole new look that consumers craved because of personilization and the modern feel. First of the iMac computers.
Purpose/How it works: A personal IDM computer.
How it changed the world: The beggining in personal computers for the Apple Computer Corporation. -
Myspace
Inventors: Chris Dewolf and Tom Anderson
Importance: First social netoworking site gone viral.
Purpose/How it works: Allows internet users to post statuses, photos, message, and more while interacting with people. Your profile contains information about you and holds all of your interactions on the site on this page.
How it changed the world: Caused various types of social networking websites to come out, taking the essential idea od Myspace, but changing it drasticly. -
iPhone
Inventor: Steve Jobs
Importance: First smart phone with touchscreen.
How it works/purpose: Easy acsess to apps, music, texting, and calling with a data and internet plan.
How it changed the world: The iPhone has a single button, which makes it easy for anyone to use with the simplicity.Consumers are now anxiusly waiting for each new and improved iPhone to make an appearance because of it's instant popularity.
