While computers are now an important part of human life, there was a time when computers did not exist. Knowing the history of computers and how much progress has been made can help you understand how complex and innovative computers really are.
Unlike most devices, the computer is one of the few inventions that does not have a single, identified inventor. Throughout the development of the computer, many people have added their creativity to the list required to operate a computer. Some of the inventions were different types of computers, and some were parts that were needed to allow computers to be developed further.
the beginning
Perhaps the most important date in the history of computers is the year 1936. It was in this year that the first “computer” was developed. It was created by Konrad Zuse and called Z1 Computer. This computer is considered the first because it was the first fully programmable system. There have been devices before this, but none of them had the computing power that set them apart from other electronic devices.
No business saw profit and opportunity in computers until 1942. This first company was called ABC Computers, owned and operated by John Atanasoff and Clifford Perry. Two years later, the Harvard Mark I computer was developed, furthering the science of computing.
Over the next few years, inventors around the world began to look more into studying computers, and how to improve them. The next ten years marked the introduction of the transistor, which would become a vital part of the inner workings of the computer, the ENIAC 1 computer, as well as many other types of systems. ENIAC 1 is perhaps one of the most interesting, as it requires 20,000 vacuum tubes to operate. It was a huge machine, and it started the revolution to build smaller, faster computers.
The age of computers was changed forever by the introduction of International Business Machines, or IBM, into the computing industry in 1953. Throughout the history of the computer, this company has been a major player in developing new systems and servers for public and private use. This introduction brought the first signs of true competition in the history of computing, helping to spur the development of faster and better computers. Their first contribution was the IBM 701 EDPM computer.
Programming language evolution
A year later, the first successful high-level programming language was created. This was a programming language that was not written in “assembly” or binary, which are considered to be very low-level languages. FORTRAN was written so that more people could easily start programming computers.
In 1955, Bank of America, along with the Stanford Research Institute and General Electric, saw the creation of the first computers for use in banks. MICR, or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, along with the actual computer, ERMA, was a breakthrough for the banking industry. The pair of systems were not used in actual banks until 1959.
During 1958, one of the most important breakthroughs in computer history occurred, the creation of the integrated circuit. This device, also known as a chip, is one of the basic requirements for modern computer systems. On every motherboard and card within a computer system are many chips that contain information about what the boards and cards do. Without these chips, systems as we know them today could not function.
Games, mice and the Internet
For many computer users now, games are a vital part of the computing experience. The year 1962 saw the creation of the first computer game, which was created by Steve Russel and MIT, and called it Spacewar.
The mouse, one of the essential components of modern computers, was created in 1964 by Douglass Engelbart. It got its name from the “tail” that sticks out of the device.
One of the most important aspects of computers today was invented in 1969. The ARPA network was the original Internet, which provided the foundation for the Internet we know today. This development will lead to the evolution of knowledge and business across the entire planet.
It wasn’t until 1970 that Intel entered the scene with its first DRAM chip, which led to an explosion of computer science innovations.
In the wake of the RAM chip, the first microprocessor, also designed by Intel, appeared. These two components, along with the chip developed in 1958, will be among the essential components of modern computers.
A year later, the floppy disk was created, gaining its name from volume resilience. This was the first step in allowing most people to transfer bits of data between disconnected computers.
The first network card was created in 1973, allowing data to be transferred between connected computers. This is similar to the Internet, but it allows computers to communicate without using the Internet.
The advent of home computers
The next three years were very important for computers. This is when companies started developing systems for the average consumer. The Scelbi, Mark-8 Altair, IBM 5100, Apple I and II, TRS-80, and Commodore Pet computers were the leaders in this field. Although these devices are very expensive, they started the trend of computers within common homes.
One of the most significant breakthroughs in computer software occurred in 1978 with the release of the spreadsheet program VisiCalc. All development costs were paid within two weeks, making this program one of the most successful in computer history.
1979 was perhaps one of the most important years for the home computer user. This is the year WordStar, the first word processing program, went public for sale. This radically changed the usefulness of computers for the everyday user.
The IBM Home computer quickly helped revolutionize the consumer market in 1981, being affordable for homeowners and ordinary consumers. The year 1981 also saw the entry of giant Microsoft into the scene with the MS-DOS operating system. This operating system completely changed computing forever, as it was easy for everyone to learn.
The competition begins: Apple vs. Microsoft
Computer hardware experienced another vital change during 1983. The Apple Lisa computer was the first with a graphical user interface, or graphical user interface. Most modern programs have a graphical user interface, which allows them to be easy to use and pleasing to the eyes. This marked the beginning of the ancient history of most text-only software.
After this point in computer history, there have been many changes and adjustments, from the Apple-Microsoft wars, to the development of microcomputers and a variety of computer hacks that have become an accepted part of our daily lives. Without the first steps of computer history, none of this would have been possible.