Computer History

After researching on computers, the history and just wanting to see if any general information would be given on the internet, knowing that there is very detailed history about computers, I was hopping to find a general piece of information about the history of computers and this is what I came up with:… I have realized that our history of computers essentially started with numbers and using devices to help calculate and remember bigger numbers. Such devices are called: abacus. This specific device came from china and it isn’t really an automatic machine. Abacus is set on a block with rods set horizontally and little bolts that can slide back and forth. These rods help with calculation of numbers. The next big invention was by Herman Hollerith who invented the IBM (international business machines) or the punch card. Since this machine became so successful IBM decided to design a machine to the Harvard Mark 1. This machine could calculate to 23 decimal number places and could compute letters as well. This machine could also do trigonometric functions as well as handle logarithms. It’s output went on punch cards. Harvard Aiken’s invention (the Mark-1) stayed at Harvard until 1959. Von Newman then showed that you could do all of these things in a smaller machine that the Mark-1. He showed that the outcome could be faster. This was called a high speed digital computer.