Historical evolution of computer technology
| Site: | Newgate University Minna - Elearning Platform |
| Course: | Foundations of Computing |
| Book: | Historical evolution of computer technology |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Sunday, 5 April 2026, 2:34 PM |
1. KEY COMPONENTS
KEY COMPONENTS
1. The store: A memory wheel consisting of set of counter wheels
2. The mill: An arithmetic unit capable of performing the four basic arithmetic
3. Operations. It operated on pairs of mechanical registers and produced a result stored in another register, all of which were located in the store.
4. Operation cards: These cards selected one of the four arithmetic operations by activating the mill to perform the selected function.
5. Variable cards: These cards selected the memory locations to be used by the mill for a particular operation ( a source of operand and the destination of the result ).
6. Output: was to print or a card punch device.
Ø Herman Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine
Herman Hollerith was a statistician, in 1880; he developed the tabulating machine commissioned by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Ø Mark I: Developed by Howard Aiken at Harvard University in 1944, Mark I, was the first electromechanical computer. Instructions were provided by means of punched paper tape, which combined the functions of Babbage’s operation cards and variable cards. Each instruction had the format: A1 A2 OP , where A1 and A2 are registers storing the operands and OP is the operation to be performed( e.g. +,-,x,%). Mark I, was able to do a single addition in 6 seconds and division in 12 seconds.
2. HISTORY OF COMPUTER
Historical evolution of computer technology
HISTORY OF COMPUTER
Until the development of the first generation computers based on vacuum tubes, there had been several developments in the computing technology related to the mechanical computing devices.
The key developments that took place till the first computer was developed are as follows—
Calculating Machines ABACUS was the first mechanical calculating device for Counting of large numbers. The word ABACUS means calculating board. It consists of bars in horizontal positions on which sets of beads are inserted. The horizontal bars have 10 beads each, representing units, tens, hundreds, etc.
Napier’s Bones was a mechanical device built for the purpose of multiplication in 1617 add by an English mathematician John Napier.
Slide Rule was developed by an English mathematician Edmund Gunter in the 16th century. Using the slide rule, one could perform operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It was used extensively till late 1970s. Figure 1.2 shows a slide rule.
Figure 1.2 Slide rule
Pascal’s Adding and Subtraction Machine was developed by Blaise Pascal. It could add and subtract. The machine consisted of wheels, gears and cylinders.
Leibniz’s Multiplication and Dividing Machine was a mechanical device that could both multiply and divide. The German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Leibniz built it around 1673.
Punch Card System was developed by Jacquard to control the power loom in 1801. He invented the punched card reader that could recognize the presence of hole in the punched card as binary one and the absence of the hole as binary zero. The Os and 1s are the basis of the modern digital computer.
The Difference Engine: The difference engine is believed to be the forerunner of the modern computer. Charles Babbage (1792-1871), a British mathematician and engineer, is considered by many to be the real father of today’s computer was the developer of the difference engine and designer of the analytical engine. He also designed a significantly improved version of the difference engine (but not built) called Analytic engine. It has different
2.1. 2nd Generation Computer
2nd Generation Computer
Characteristics of 2nd Generation Computers
1. They used transistors for internal operations. Transistors replaced the vacuum tubes in the 1st generation computers
2. Magnetic core memory replaced the magnetic scrums as memory. Increase in main primary memory storage capacity up to 22 kilobytes of ram memory.
3. They were faster in input and output process
4. High level programming language e.g. COBOL (common business oriented language), FORTRAN (formula translator)
5. Introduction of super computers eg liver more automatic research computer (LABC) and IBM 7030
6. Magnetic tapes and disks replaced punch cards for exterior storage.
7. Computer became less expensive.
8. They generated less heat.
9. They had increased speed and reliability.
Some of the Computers In The 2nd Generation
· LDC 2600
· UNIVAC-111
· IBM-1600 Series
· IBM-1400 Series
2.2. First Generation Computers [1945 Up To 1955]
First Generation Computers [1945 Up To 1955]
Characteristics of first generation.
Use of vacuum tubes in electronic circuits. These tubes controlled internal operation of computers and they were very huge/ large.
1. As a result of vacuum tubes the first generation computers were very huge/large or enormous and they occupied entire large rooms.
2. They used magnetic drums as memory.
3. They had a limited main storage capacity.
4. They were slow in input and output speed.
5. They used punched cards for input and output.
6. Programming was done in machine language.
7. They were expensive to buy and operate.
8. They generated a lot of heat.
9. They required much air conditioning to cool them.
10. They required a lot of electricity (high power consumption).
Examples of 1st Generation Computers
· Electronic numerical integrator and calculator (ENIAC). It was the 1st generation computer by John Eckert and John Marchy.
· Electronic delay storage automation computer (EDVAC) developed by mu wilts at conlondge university in 1949
· Universal Automatic computer (UNIUAC) John Eckert and Muchy produced it in 1951 by universal accounting setup.
Limitation of 1st Generation Computers
1. The operation speed was very low.
2. The power consumption was very high.
3. It required a large space for installation.
4. Limited primary memory.
5. Generated a lot of heat.
6. They were very heavy. (They weighed about up to 30tonnes).
7. Its programming ability was quite low.
2.3. 3rd Generation Computers
3rd Generation Computers
Characteristics of 3rd Generation Computers
1. Use of integrated circuited. They use of integrated circuits replaced transistors of the second generation machines.
2. The software industry evolves during this time.
3. Emergence of microcomputers.
4. Introduction of operating systems.
5. Simple programming language. e.g. BASIC.
6. Low costs as compared to the 1st and 2nd generation computers.
7. Increased friendliness
8. Small in size as compared to the 1st and 2nd generation computers. Computers reduced in size.
9. Increase in memory capacity as compared to the 1st and 2nd generation computers.
10. Generation of less heat as compared to the 1st and 2nd generation computers.
2.4. 4th Generation Computers
4th Generation Computers
Characteristics of 4th Generation Computers
1. Introduction of microprocessors (100th of integrated circuits were built into a single silcon chip.
2. Use of large scale integrated circuits.
3. Increased storage capacity and speed.
4. Special application programmers were introduced.
5. Increased use of minicomputers and microcomputers.
6. Development of graphics user interface.(GUI), the mouse, application mathematical modeling and simulation, electric fund transfer computer, aided instructions etc.
7. Computers became more powerful and cheap enough that schools,homes and offices were able to purchase them.
Examples of 4th generation computers
· IBM =2033 Series.
· IBM 4200 Series.
· Pentium series like 1, 2, 3 and 4.
2.5. 5th Generation Computers
5th Generation Computers
Characteristics of 5th Generation Computers
1. The speed is extremely high in 5th generation computers.
2. They can perform parallel processing.
3. The concept of artificial intelligence has been introduced.
4. Extra-large scale integration are introduced.
5. They are also used in nuclear, science and space technology.
6. They have more than on processor.
7. They have a high speed of accuracy and reliability.
8. Smaller and high storage memory of data for a long time.
9. Expert systems, robots and natural language processor.
10. High sophisticated operating system.
2.6. Roles of Computer in modern society
Roles of Computer in modern society
Can you imagine the world without Computer? Computers changed the world a lot. It helped man step forward into the future. Thanks to computers, space exploration came true, new designs of vehicles and other transportation were made; entertainment became more entertaining, medical science made more cures for diseases, etc. The computers impacted our lives in many ways. You may not notice it, but they did make life a lot easier. Some people say that computers are taking away manpower. That may be true, but computers did it make the impossible possible. It is impossible to name all the impacts in this paper, but we can see some major ones. Computer has/is still playing important roles in the following sectors or fields.
Objective of the course
Challenges and Opportunities:
Students are expected to explain the roles of computer in these following sectors
- Healthcare: Electronic health records, medical imaging.
- Education: E-learning, educational software.
- Business: Enterprise resource planning (ERP), data analytics.
- Entertainment: Digital media, gaming. etc
Opportunities for innovation and problem-solving.
Roles of Computer in the following sectors or field will be discuss. Sectors like
1. Entertainment
2. Health
3. Education2.7. On Entertainment
On Entertainment
Another area computer is playing important role is entertainment. Most of the people out there like science fiction or action movies, especially the ones with the neat looking effects. Well, those graphics were mostly made by computers. Most of the movies today use computer graphics to make things more realistic but not real. Computer graphics are mostly used on spaceships, aliens, monsters, and special effects. Movies like Jurassic Park, Wing Commander, Starship Troopers, used computers to make them look more interesting and realistic. There are even movies completely made by computers like Toy Story and A Bugs‟ Life. Not only movies used computer animations and graphics. Games on the latest game consoles like Play station used the computers to make the coolest games ever. Games now and days use computer graphics and animations to make the coolest games. Computer games also have their share. New 3D games were made by really cool computer graphics. It would be really boring without all this wouldn’t you think? That’s how computers impacted today are entertainment.2.8. On Health
On Health
An important field computers impacted on is the medical field. The computers helped the hospitals out very much. In pharmacies, the pharmacists use computers to keep a record of what medication to give to a patient and the amount they need. Most computers in the hospital are used to keep data of patience and their status. Computers also keep track of equipment placement and status as well. Scientists need the help of computers to find cures for diseases that need cures like cancer and STDs. Without the computers help, cures for a lot of diseases wouldn’t have been found. Applications of computer-based equipment or use of information technology has help doctors to diagnose diseases. It is clear that the use of computers in the medical field to provide solutions to complex problems. Among the new computer technology that provides assistance to those who are disabled. Microprocessor-based voice systems assist people with disabilities speaking with a terminal that directs the computer to perform a verbal task. Similarly, the development of computers has helped the blind to see, the deaf to communicate, whether with the help of speech synthesizer or using the keyboard. This can be help them become more active and can do what they could not do before.
2.9. On Education
On Education
Through the use of advanced computing and telecommunications technology, learning can also be qualitatively different. The process of learning in the classroom can become significantly richer as students have access to new and different types of information, can manipulate it on the computer through graphic displays or controlled experiments in ways never before possible, and can communicate their results and conclusions in a variety of media to their teacher, students in the next classroom, or students around the world. For example, using technology, Student of Newgate University Minna (NUM) use NUel Platform to read and take Assignments, and Quiz. students can collect and graph real-time weather, environmental, and populations data from their community, use that data to create color maps and graphs, and then compare these maps to others created by students in other communities. Similarly, instead of reading about the textbook pictures depicting blood flow, students can use technology to see blood moving through veins and arteries, watch the process of oxygen entering the bloodstream, and experiment to understand the effects of increased pulse or cholesterol-filled arteries on blood flow. With the help of computer students can learn, write test and Exams from anywhere in the world through eLearning platform.