History of Computer Explained | Computer History | Computer Basics

The computer is not the creation of one day, rather it took a long period for the development of the modern computer. The history of computers is described below

Abacus 

Invention

• 1602

Inventor

• China

Characteristics 

• First mechanical calculating device. 
• A horizontal rod represents the one, tens, hundred, etc.

Applications

• Used for addition and subtraction operations. 
• Calculation of square roots can also be performed.

Napier’s Bones

Invention

• 1617

Inventor

• John Napier (Scotland)

Characteristics 

• Three-dimensional structure. 
• Holding numbers from 0 to 9 only. 
• Represent the graphical structure of calculating the result.

Applications

• Perform multiplication on numbers.
• The technology used for calculation is called Rabdologia. 

Pascaline

Invention

• 1642

Inventor

• Blaise Pascal (France)

Characteristics 

• First mechanical adding machine.
• It was structured like a rectangular box, with eight discs (representing the number of units).

Applications

• Perform addition and subtraction of two numbers. 
• Mainly designed with regard to the pressure of the liquid.

Jacquard’s Loom

Invention

• 1801

Inventor

• Joseph Marie Jacquard (France)

Characteristics 

• Mainly weaved a silk-based pattern. 
• Used punched cards for the sequence of operation.

Applications

• Simplified the process of Textiles. 

Analytical Engine

Invention

• 1837

Inventor

• Charles Babbage (Father of Computer) (London)

Characteristics 

• First general-purpose computer.
• The stored program in the form of ‘pegs’ also called barrels.

Applications

• It was a decimal machine that was used to sign and magnitude for the representation of a number.

Tabulating Machine

Invention

• 1890

Inventor

• Herman Hollerith (America)

Characteristics 

• It used punched cards with round holes.
• It was the first electromechanical machine, designed to process the data for the census in 1890.

Applications

• Read one card at a time.

MARK-1 

Invention

• 1944

Inventor

• Howard Aiken (America)

Characteristics 

• Consists of interlocking panels of small glass, counters, switches, and control circuits. 
• Data can be entered manually.

Applications

• Mainly used in the war effort during World War II. 
• Magnetic drums are used for storage.

ENIAC

Invention

• 1946

Inventor

• JP Eckert and JW Mauchly (America)

Characteristics 

• It is a combination of twenty accumulators. 
• First electronic digital computer.

Applications

• Used for weather prediction, atomic energy calculation, and other scientific uses.

EDSAC

Invention

• 1949

Inventor

• John Von Neumann (America)

Characteristics 

• It was the first computer that provided storage capacity.
• The first computer program was run on the machine.

Applications

• Capable of storing instructions and data in memory. 
• Used mercury delay lines for memory, and vacuum tubes for logic.

UNIVAC

Invention

• 1951

Inventor

• J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly (America)

Characteristics 

• First general-purpose electronic computer with a large amount of input and output.

Applications

• Used magnetic tapes as input and output.

IBM-650 Computer

Invention

• 1953

Inventor

• IBM Company

Characteristics 

• Provided input/output units converting alphabetical and special characters to two-digit decimal code

Applications

• Payroll processing.
• Oil refinery design.
• Market research analysis.