History of Computers

Week 1
Definition of a Computer
 A computer is defined in
the following ways
 By the work it does
 By the kind of
information it handles
 By its size and price
Particulars are Moving
Targets
 Technology advances at
exponential rates
 Computer memory capacity
quadruples every 3 years?
 Computer processor speed
doubles every 3 years?
 Computer networks - number of
hosts doubles every year
Computer Networks
 Network - two or more
connected computers
 Purpose - sharing or exchange
of information and/or
resources
 Benefits
 improved efficiency
 reduces need for travel…
Computers and Networks
 Facilitate
 Concentration of knowledge and
control
 Distribution of knowledge and control
 Have the power to
 Amass and interrogate enormous
volumes of data
 Process data at enormous rates for
real systems and simulations
Computers and Networks
Challenge:
 Constitutional definitions
 Social structures
 Lifestyle options
What is a Society?
 A voluntary association of
individuals for common ends
 An enduring and cooperating social
group whose members have
developed organized patterns of
relationships through interaction
with one another
 A companionship with one’s
fellows
What is a Society?
 A part of a community that is a unit
distinguishable by particular aims
or standards of living or conduct
 The sum of human conditions and
activity regarded as a whole
functioning interdependently
 The customs and organization of
an ordered community
How have Computers
Affected Society?
 What are the parts of a
society?
 What has been the affect of
computers on these parts?
 What are the benefits?
 What are the problems?
 What will happen next?
What about the Internet?
 In recent years this one
area has affected society
more than any other
 How?
 What are the issues here?
The Parts of a Society
 Education
 Transportation
 Private Sector
 Business
 Government
 Entertainment
 Housing
The Parts of a Society
 Currency (banking)
 Jobs
 Space
 Medicine
 Anything else?
Technological Revolutions
 Agricultural Revolution
 Industrial Revolution
 Computational Revolution
Revolution Comparison
 Workforce distribution
 Productivity benefits
 Breadth of impact
How Society Reacts to
Revolutions
 Incorporate benefits
 Civilize change
 Compensate injured
 Regain balance
Early Calculating
Machines
 Abacus
 Slide rule
 Mechanical calculator
 Stepped reckoner
 Textile industry - Jacquard
Loom
 Difference engine
Early Calculating
Machines through those of
today
 Analytical engine
 The 1890 Census machine
 ENIAC
 The transistor
 The Personal Computer (PC)
 The Internet
5 Generations of Modern
Computers
 1st Generation 1945 - 1956
 Made to order operating
instructions
 Different binary coded programs
told it how to operate
 Difficult to program and limited
versatility and speed
 Vacuum tubes
 Magnetic drum storage
2nd Generation 1955-
1963
 Transistors
 Memory - magnetic core
 Assembly language
 Printers and memory
 Programming languages
 Careers
3rd Generation 1964 -
1971
 Quartz clock
 Integrated circuit
 Operating systems
4th Generation 1971 -
now
 LSI - Large Scale Integration
 VLSI- Very Large Scale
Integration (ULSI)
 Chip
 General consumer usage
 Networks
5th Generation
 This is the future
 What will it be like?
 What changes will be big
enough to create this new
generation?
Pioneers of Computing
 Charles
Babbage
 Konrad Zuse
 John von
Neumann
 Alan Turing
 Steve Jobs
Important Machines
 IBM 700 Series
 IBM 360/370
Series
 CDC star
 Cray 1
 DEC VAX
 IBM PC
 Apple McIntosh
Taxonomy of Computers
 Mainframes
 Minis
 Micros
 Supercomputers
 Embedded
Don’t Forget the Chip
 Computers are used in many
different technologies
 For example: bread
machine, ATM, cars, TV,
microwave, cash register,
…..
 How has this utilization
affected society?
ATM Example

 Positive
 CONVENIENCE
 Negative
 Unemployment
 Alienation and customer service
 Crime
 Loss of privacy
 Errors
Reconsider the Problems

 Unemployment -> more computer

jobs
 Alienation -> go during business
hours
 Crime -> add lights, change
angle,etc.

Weigh the positive against the

negative
Solutions to Problems

 Technical
 Managerial
 Legal
 Market mechanisms
 Education
Issues to be Studied Due
to Computers in Society
 Privacy of communications
 Intellectual property
 Constitutional issues
 General social issues
 Professional ethics