History of Computer
History of Computer
Introduction
Man’s progress is measured by sophistication of his tools. First, he discovered how to control fire. Eventually, he invented the wheel. He built boats and earned to harness the wind. As soon as commerce developed in the early societies, people recognized the need to calculate and keep track of information. They soon devised simple computing devices and bookkeeping systems to enable them to add, subtract, and simple record transactions. Today, we are witnessing rapid technological changes taking place on a broad and scale. However, many centuries elapsed before technology was sufficiently advanced to develop computers. Without computers, man with technological achievements of the past decade would not have been possible.
ANCIENT TIMES
Shells, chicken, bones, or any number of objects would have been used but the fact that the word calculate is derived for “calculate”. The Latin word for small stone, suggests that pebbles or heads were arranged to form the famous abacus, the first man-made computing device. Early man also invented numbering systems to enable him to compute with ease for sums greater than 10. Decimal numbering system (Hindu-Arabic influence) uses specific digits representing from 0-9.
1600-1900
Blaise Pascal (French Mathematician) invented an adding machine in 1642. The machine adopted partly the principles of the abacus but did away with the use of the hand to move the beads of counters instead, Pascal used wheels. Pascal’s machine was one of the first mechanical calculating machines.
Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibnitz (1674) made improvements on Pascal’s machine, It was possible to divide and multiply as easy as it could add and subtract.
Joseph Jacquard invented the mechanical loom. With the use of cards punched with holes, it was possible to weave fabrics in a variety of patterns.
Charles Babbage, an English Mathematician foresaw a machine that could perform all mathematical calculations, store value in
Introduction
Man’s progress is measured by sophistication of his tools. First, he discovered how to control fire. Eventually, he invented the wheel. He built boats and earned to harness the wind. As soon as commerce developed in the early societies, people recognized the need to calculate and keep track of information. They soon devised simple computing devices and bookkeeping systems to enable them to add, subtract, and simple record transactions. Today, we are witnessing rapid technological changes taking place on a broad and scale. However, many centuries elapsed before technology was sufficiently advanced to develop computers. Without computers, man with technological achievements of the past decade would not have been possible.
ANCIENT TIMES
Shells, chicken, bones, or any number of objects would have been used but the fact that the word calculate is derived for “calculate”. The Latin word for small stone, suggests that pebbles or heads were arranged to form the famous abacus, the first man-made computing device. Early man also invented numbering systems to enable him to compute with ease for sums greater than 10. Decimal numbering system (Hindu-Arabic influence) uses specific digits representing from 0-9.
1600-1900
Blaise Pascal (French Mathematician) invented an adding machine in 1642. The machine adopted partly the principles of the abacus but did away with the use of the hand to move the beads of counters instead, Pascal used wheels. Pascal’s machine was one of the first mechanical calculating machines.
Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibnitz (1674) made improvements on Pascal’s machine, It was possible to divide and multiply as easy as it could add and subtract.
Joseph Jacquard invented the mechanical loom. With the use of cards punched with holes, it was possible to weave fabrics in a variety of patterns.
Charles Babbage, an English Mathematician foresaw a machine that could perform all mathematical calculations, store value in
References: Pepito, Copernicus C. Computer Fundamentals, Manila: National Bookstore, 2002 Beckman, George. Brent, Gary. Pathswohl, Eugene. Computer Confluence. Addison Wesley Long Inc.Benjamin/Cumings Publishing Co. USA: 1997. La Putt, Juny P. Introduction to Computer Concepts, Baguio City: Baguio Research and Publishing Center, 1984. Mandaluyong Dynamics Incorporated. Introduction to Computers and Basic Programming. Manila: Computershoppe, Inc, 1993.