COMPUTER HISTORY

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OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the hardware components of the four generations of computer technology.

2. Define Moore's Law.

3. Explain the difference between digital and analog.

4. Name the five generic components of any computer system.

5. Define software . 2

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

• Computer applications today:• Word processing (Word)

• Spreadsheets (Excel)

• Presentation software (PowerPoint)

• Communication (email, Internet)

• Games

• Databases

• ...

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WAY BACK: BABBAGE’S “DIFFERENCE ENGINE”

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At the British Museum

DIFFERENCE ENGINE CLOSE-UP

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THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE IN ACTION

• Difference Engine (video)

• Difference Engine (article)

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ONE-OF-A-KIND COMPUTERS:ONE-OF-A-KIND COMPUTERS:THE THE AATANASOFF-TANASOFF-BBERRY ERRY CCOMPUTER OMPUTER (ABC)(ABC)

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ABC LINKS

• Pictures and Drawings

• Court Trial

• Reconstructing the ABC Computer

• ABC part 1 (video, 10 min)

• ABC part 2 (video, 10 min)

• ABC part 3 (video, 10 min)

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ONE-OF-A-KIND COMPUTERS: ENIAC

• 18,000 vacuum tubes

• 80 ft long x 3 ft deep by 8 ft tall

• $500,000 ($6M in today’s dollars)

• 30 tons

• 150 kilowatts

• ENIAC (Wikipedia article)

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ENIAC

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ENIAC

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WHICH WAS THE FIRST COMPUTER?

• ABC was the first electronic, digital computer.

• ENIAC was the first electronic, digital, general-purpose computer.

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COMMERCIAL COMPUTERSGENERATION 1: EARLY 1950S

• UNIVAC 1, More UNIVAC

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GENERATION 1 HARDWARE: VACUUM TUBES

• Big

• Slow

• Hot

• Expensive

• Unreliable

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UNIVAC

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UNIVAC

• 1952 election

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COMMERCIAL COMPUTERSGENERATION 2: LATE 50S-MID 60S

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GENERATION 2 HARDWARE: TRANSISTORS

• Smaller

• Faster

• Cooler

• Cheaper

• More reliable

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GENERATION 2

• IBM 7030

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GENERATION 2

• IBM 1620

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GENERATION 2

• IBM 1401

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GENERATION 2

• IBM 1401

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COMMERCIAL COMPUTERSGENERATION 3: MID 60S TO MID 70S

• IBM 360

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GENERATION 3 HARDWARE: “INTEGRATED” CIRCUITS

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GENERATION 3

• IBM 360

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MINICOMPUTERS

• A “mini” computer was about the size of a refrigerator. They could be made this small because of integrated circuits.

• PDP 8

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COMMERCIAL COMPUTERSGENERATION 4: MID-70S TO TODAY

• The “micro” computer.

• The Apple ][ Plus

• Apple II

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GENERATION 4 HARDWARE:LARGE-SCALE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

• A 4th generation computer uses large-scale integrated circuits (silicon chips) for its circuitry.

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GENERATION 4

• Apple IIc Plus

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GENERATION 4

• IBM PC

• August, 1981

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GENERATION 4

• iMac

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TRENDS

• The trend has continually been:

• SMALLER•CHEAPER• FASTER•MORE RELIABLE•MORE POWERFUL•MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

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HARDWARE SUMMARY

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Gen Dates Hardware

1Early 50s-Late

50sVacuum tubes

2Late 50s-Mid

60sTransistors

3 Mid 60s-Mid 70s Integrated Circuits

4 Mid 70s-PresentLarge-scale

integrated circuits

MOORE’S LAW

• Moore's Law (1965): The number of transistors that can be placed on an integrated circuit is doubling approximately every 2 years.

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MOORE’S LAW

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ANALOG VS. DIGITAL

• Analog: Continuous, with an infinite number of “states”.

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ANALOG VS. DIGITAL

• Digital: Discrete, with a finite number of “states”.

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ANALOG VS. DIGITAL• When discussing computers,

digital means made up of 0s and 1s

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THE END

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