History of Computers

History of Computers

Period: Jun 17, 1600 to Jun 17, 1978

John Napier

Jun 17, 1614

John Napier invented the "Napier Bones" which are basically used to solve complex calculations.

Frenchman Blaise Pascal

Jun 17, 1700

The Pascal computer is named after him. His machine could add numbers up to 8 digits.

Improvements

Jun 20, 1800

Improvements were made to machines. They could now be sold commercially. They were all simple wheel and lever machines.

Joseph-Maire Jacquard

Jun 17, 1801

Joseph-Maire Jacquard invented a weaving loom that used punched cards to duplicate specific ideas.

Charles Babbage

Jun 17, 1832

Charles Babbage created the "difference engine."

Herman Hollerith

Jun 20, 1890

Herman Hollerith created the punched card calculator.

Lee De Forest

Jun 17, 1906

Lee De Forest invented the electronic tube (vaccuum tube). This made electronic computers develop quicker.

Breaking German encryption codes

Jun 20, 1939

Machines were created to break German encryption codes.

Howard H. Aiken

Jun 17, 1943

Howard H. Aiken developed the first computer with a programmed controlled calculator. Very close to being fully operational computer.

Colossus computer

Jun 17, 1943

A computer called Colossus was completed in Great Britain.

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer

Jun 23, 1946

100,000 calculations per second

Transistor Development

Jun 21, 1947

The development of the transistor became significant in 1947. The transistor could do the work of several tubes at once and was smaller than a postage stamp.

Electronic Discrete Variable Computer

Jun 23, 1949

First computer to use magnetic tape for storage.

UNIVAC I

Jun 23, 1951

First computer produced for business. Computers were only used for universities and government before.

Cray 1

Jun 17, 1970

The Cray 1 was the first supercomputer that was available for purchase. The Cray 1 could do 150 million calculations per second.