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Period: Oct 31, 1300 to
History of Computers
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Nov 1, 1300
Babylon
The first practical computing machine was the abacus, created by the Babylonians before the time of Christ and perfected by the Chinese. -
John Napier
John Napier invented "Napier's Bones" which was a set of rods used to perform complex calculations. -
Blaise Pascal
During the 17th centure, Blaise Pascal invented a machine that could perform simple calculations. Pascal's machine could add numbers up to eight digits. -
Improved Machines
The earliest calculating machines were improved and made available commercially and were used in industry. -
Joseph-Mairc Jacquard
Joseph-Mairc Jacquard developed a weaving loom that used punched cards to replicate designs; the earliest form of computer input. -
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage invented the "difference engine" in 1832; it was the first machine to approximate the idea of a computer (input-execute-output). -
Herman Hollerith
Herman Hollerith created a punched card calculator to help with the US census in 1890. -
Lee De Forest
In 1906, Lee De Forest invented the electronic tube, a device that is counted among three items said to be technological advances key to computer industry. -
Electronic Codebreakers
During World War II, the forerunners of modern computers were built to break German codes. -
Howard H. Aiken
Howard H. Aiken created the first programmed controlled calculator. -
Bell Laboratories
At Bell Laboratories in 1947, engineers William B. Shockley, Walter H. Brattain, and John Bardeen developed the first transistor. -
EDVAC
The Institue for Advanced Study created the first computer, EDVAC, that used magnetic tape for storage. -
Integrated Circuit
In 1958, the first integrated circuit which led to the introduction of the modern day chip. -
Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper served in the Navy for many years and developed a high level language compiler. She even found the first computer bug: a moth preventing the computer from running properly. -
Microprocessors
The first microprocessors were developed in the early 1970s. -
Cray 1
The Cray 1 was the first supercomputer to be made available for purchase. -
Apple
In March of 1976, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs built their first computer: Apple I -
Microsoft
In 1980, Microsoft was asked to write an operating system for a new PC. They bought QDOS from another company and modified it to be released with the IBM PC. Within several years, the two owners of Microsoft were among the wealthiest in the world and Microsoft boomed. -
Fifth Generation
Speculation has arisen about the future fifth generation of computers. They will surely be faster and more efficient, but will they include "Beam me up, Scotty"? Only time will tell as computer industry continues to move forward!
