History of Computers

Abacus

The abacus was invented in Babylonia in 2400 B.C. An abacus is a mechanical device used to perform basic arithmetic operations. The abacus in the form we are most familiar, was first used in China in around 500 B.C. 

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Napier’s Bones

Napier’s bones Invented by John Napier in 1614.Allowed the operator to multiply, divide and calculate square and cube roots by moving the rods around and placing them in specially constructed boards.

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Slide Rule

Slide Rule Invented by William Oughtred in1622.It is based on Napier's ideas about logarithms. It is used primarily for multiplication, division, roots, logarithms and Trigonometry. It is not normally used for addition or subtraction.

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Pascaline

Pascaline invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642.It had limitation to addition and subtraction. It is too expensive.

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Stepped Reckoner

Stepped Reckoner Invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in 1672.The machine that can add, subtract, multiply and divide automatically.

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Jacquard Loom

The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1881. It is an automatic loom controlled by punched cards.

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 Arithmometer

A mechanical calculator invented by Thomas de Colmar in 1820. The first reliable, useful and commercially successful calculating machine. The machine could perform the four basic mathematics functions. The first mass-produced calculating machine.

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Difference Engine and Analytical Engine

It an automatic, mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions and invented by Charles Babbage in 1822 and 1834. It is the first mechanical computer.

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First Computer Programmer

In 1840, Augusta Ada Byron suggests to Babbage that he use the binary system. She writes programs for the Analytical Engine.

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Scheutzian Calculation Engine

Scheutzian Calculation Engine Invented by Per Georg Scheutz in 1843.It is based on Charles Babbage's difference engine. The first printing calculator.

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Tabulating Machine

Tabulating Machine Invented by Herman Hollerith in 1890. It assist in summarizing information and accounting.

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Havard Mark 1

Havard Mark 1 also known as IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC).It invented by Howard H. Aikenin 1943, the first electro-mechanical computer.

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Z 1

Z1 is the first programmable computer. Which created by Konrad Zuse in Germany from 1936 to 1938.To program the Z1 required that the user insert punch tape into a punch tape reader and all output was also generated through punch tape.

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Atanasoff-Berry Computer(ABC)

It was the first electronic digital computing device. Which invented by Professor John Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry at Iowa State University between 1939 and 1942.

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ENIAC

ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. It was the first electronic general-purpose computer. Which completed in 1946 and developed by John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchl.

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UNIVAC 1

The UNIVAC I(Universal Automatic Computer 1) was the first commercial computer. Which designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly.

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EDVAC

EDVAC stands for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer. The First Stored Program Computer, designed by Von Neumann in 1952.It has a memory to hold both a stored program as well as data.

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The First Portable Computer

Osborne 1–the first portable computer, released in 1981 by the Osborne Computer Corporation.

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The First Computer Company

The first computer company was the Electronic Controls Company which was founded in 1949 by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly.

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