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Computer History
This category includes questions and answers about the history of the computer. Ask questions about the first computer and major developments in computing.
5,564 Questions
What is the purpose of a Turing test?
The purpose of a Turing test is to determine a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior that is indistinguishable from that of a human. It tests whether a machine can successfully imitate a human to the extent that another human interacting with it cannot differentiate between the two.
The first electronic computer was built between 1939 and 1942 by?
American mathematician and engineer Howard Aiken in collaboration with IBM. The computer, called the Harvard Mark I, was a massive machine that used more than 750,000 components to perform calculations. It was primarily used for scientific and military calculations and played a significant role in the development of early computing technology.
Where the super computer of India PARAM is placed?
The first Indian Super Computer PARAM 10000devloped by CDAC India is currently situated at PUNE Indiaand is used in atomic research and astronautical research.
Was the Atanasoff-Berry Computer programmable?
No, it was hardwired to solve only one type of problem: solution of systems of simultaneous equations of up to 29 variables. But if necessary Atanasoff could have easily designed a different computer using the same technology and methods that would have been programmable.
Does a system administrator have to log into a users account to view their history?
I assume you mean Web history. And generally speaking no. Then can just look at the logs and see what ip addresses you visited. Also most companies use VNC software, which will allow them to actively connect to a user's PC (as well as monitor what you are doing in real time, even though this is not what it is intended for.) see winVNC or tightVNC. Also most companies setup administrative shares (c:\) so they can backup your data, and move around files for users if needed. This means they can copy any history files off your computer if needed. This would be tedious and very time consuming to look through and unlikely for that reason. If they think you are doing something wrong, they can also capture all your incoming and outgoing packets via a program like wireshark, and figure out exactly what is going on. Some companies also use proxies for web browsing, to make sure employees are not going to anywhere they shouldn't. If your company is running the proxy server they have access to logs which would clearly show where you have been, what sites were blocked, etc. Medium to large companies use commercial grade ISPs which will also monitor live traffic if asked.
ENIC stands for European Network of Information Centres. It is an organization that aims to promote the recognition of academic qualifications and facilitate the mobility of students and professionals within Europe. ENIC centers provide information and assistance on issues related to recognition of qualifications obtained abroad.
The UNIVAC, one of the earliest electronic computers, did not have the capability to predict or make future projections. It was primarily used for scientific calculations, data processing, and computing tasks.
multiply divide and count
Each of ENIAC's 20 accumulators could do 5000 additions or subtractions per second. A special panel called the "multiplier" could control 4 accumulators to do multiplication by repeated addition and shifting. A special panel called the "divider/square rooter" could control 5 accumulators to do division by repeated subtraction and shifting or square roots using a modification of the division process. A special panel called the "master programmer" could be programmed to sequence the machine through arbitrary functions or iterative processes.
What is equal to exactly 1024 bytes?
A chunk of data measuring 1024 bytes is equal to exactly 1 kilobyte. These are units of measure for very small units of data.
What Is a Computer modem made of?
A computer modem is made up of various components including a modulator, demodulator, analog-to-digital converter, digital-to-analog converter, signal processor, and a connection interface such as Ethernet or phone line. These components work together to modulate digital data from the computer into analog signals for transmission over a communication medium and then demodulate received analog signals back into digital data for interpretation by the computer.
When you first turn on a computer what is accessed first?
When you first turn on a computer, the firmware known as the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is accessed first. This firmware is responsible for initializing hardware components, running a Power-On Self-Test (POST), and locating the bootloader. The bootloader then loads the operating system, allowing the computer to fully initialize and start functioning.
What does J Presper Eckert have to do with the computer?
J. Presper Eckert was an American engineer and computer pioneer who co-invented the first general-purpose electronic digital computer called the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) in the 1940s. Along with his colleague John W. Mauchly, Eckert made significant contributions to the development of modern computing technology.
What did the inventor of this machine need to know while developing the machine?
The inventor of this machine needed to have a strong understanding of the problem they were trying to solve, a deep knowledge of the technology and engineering principles involved, and the ability to design and create prototypes. They also needed to have a grasp of the market and potential user needs, as well as the ability to iterate and improve upon their design based on feedback and testing.
Who was Grace Hopper and what is she famous for?
She was an early computer programmer, famous for many things including writing the first compiler, inventing the word 'debugging' and coming up with possibly my favorite quote of all time: "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission".
Very cool lady. Much more info on Wikipedia, you should read it.
Who is Seymour Cray and what was he famous for?
Seymour Cray was a Computer Architect and Computer Designer. He is best known for his work on advanced supercomputers and the founding of the companies Cray Research and Cray Computer Corporation.
His career began at Engineering Research Associates (ERA) in 1951 and when Remington Rand bought the company and incorporated it into their UNIVAC division he stayed.
When UNIVAC's scientific computing division was eliminated in 1957, a number of employees left to form Control Data Corporation (CDC). Cray wanted to leave also, but stayed to complete the prototype of the Naval Tactical Data System that he was then making. When that was completed early the next year, Cray left for CDC also.
After working on several midrange computers for CDC he began work in 1963 on the CDC 6600 which became the first commercial supercomputer in 1965 when the first was delivered to CERN.
Several backwards compatible supercomputers (the CDC 7600, CDC Cyber 70, and CDC Cyber 170) followed.
But when he wanted to design the CDC 8600 in 1972 the company refused to support it at the level he wanted and he left, starting Cray Research with the goal of making an entirely new type of supercomputer: the Cray-1 which came out in 1976. The Cray-2 followed in 1985.
The same thing happened with the Cray-3 at Cray Research in 1989 as had happened with the CDC 8600. So he started Cray Computer Corporation in 1990.
Only one Cray-3 was ever built, it was delivered in 1993 and had many problems.
Work on the Cray-4 began immediately but the company went bankrupt in 1995 before it was finished.
He started a new company, SRC Computers, in an attempt to design of his own massively parallel supercomputers. Design had barely started when Cray died as a result of a car accident in 1996.
Where should an adjustable condenser be set for maximum resolution?
An adjustable condenser in a microscope should be set at the highest position for maximum resolution. This position allows for maximum illumination and better focus of the specimen, resulting in sharper and more detailed images.
What is the old name for router?
Perhaps you are referring to IMP, but these would be more like a modern DSL or cable modem than a router in function.
Yes, Grace Hopper was married. She married Vincent Foster Hopper in 1930 and they remained married until his death in 1945. After his death, she kept his last name professionally and became known as Grace Murray Hopper.
This question refers to Microsoft's proprietary and industry standard MS Office software suite. MS Office is groups of productivity programs which includes its trademark Word, Excel, and PowerPoint software.
Distinguish between general purpose and special purpose computers?
General Purpose computers are those that allow users to do various tasks.
And not a specific task.
Eg: personal computers - it helps us to do things like playing games, chatting, organizing, authoring, internet browsing etc.
Special purpose computers are those that are made to do special tasks. And mostly its does only one task (task related to that particular field)
eg: IBM Deep Blue which is a supercomputer that's made for just playing chess. And nothing other than that. So its a special purpose computer.
Sonic likes running, his friends, chilli dogs, action, adventure, danger, and beating Eggman.
What is the first computer virus and who created?
1986 - Brain was written by Basit aswell as Amjad, these two brothers had a computerstore in Pakistan.
The reason that they wrote the virus was that they got tired of people making illegal copies of the programs that were sold in the computer store. The virus Brain was the first bootsector virus and spread from floppy disk to floppy disk.
Who invented the TV and the computer?
Like all complex devices, the television had many contributing inventors.
During the 1870s there were several people who worked on photo-electric devices that converted light into an electrical signal.
1876 was the year that Nipkow patented a rotating disc that could be used to capture and display an image using electricity. Although he had the patent, he never developed a useful working system with the disc and the patent expired some twenty years later.
John Logie Baird, a Scot living in England is recognized as the first to demonstrate an operational television in March of 1925. It was a public demonstration held in Selfridges, a London department store. His "Televisor" system showed moving images being delivered via an electrical signal. The system used the Nipkow disc to produce the images so Baird's work was based on research carried out many years before. Despite the use of the disc, Baird was the first to successfully produce an operational television.
The BBC began public television broadcasts in January 1929 using Baird's system from their London television studio. These continued for seven years until they moved to a new fully electronic system in 1936.
Meanwhile, Philo Farnsworth was working on similar ideas in America and in 1927, he also demonstrated an electro-mechanical television system. Just two years later in 1929, he demonstrated a fully electronic system with no moving parts. This was an important development as there were significant limitations with the electro-mechanical systems. Farnsworth's electronic system provided a means to increase resolution far beyond that of the Nipkow method.
Vladimir Zworykin, a Russian American filed a patent application in 1923 for the "iconscope", the first electronic camera tube. The patent was eventually granted in 1933. Zworykin worked with RCA during the 1930s and it was RCA who began the first commercial broadcasts of television in the US in 1939. His Iconscope tube was used for the first few years of broadcasting until it was replaced by more sensitive and higher resolution tubes during the 1940s.
For Computer:
Who invented the computer and what year?" The answer to the first part of the question is Charles Babbage. Interestingly, the implementation of the design of what should have been the first computer was actually completed in 1989. But, if the question is "Who invented the computer first and electronically?" then it is John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly. They built the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). Then why is Charles Babbage given the credit of inventing the computer? Charles Babbage was the first person to introduce the idea of "programmable machines". Charles Babbage hardly imagined that his distaste for human errors would one day result in inventions such as desktop computers and laptop computers.
To reach today's era of artificial intelligence, natural language processing and high power processing, computer inventions had to go through various generations. This all started with Charles Babbage's difference engine in 1822. The difference engines and analytical engines (if completed) would be heavily mechanical. Their weight would be in tons (although analytical and difference engine are not considered to be of any generation, let us consider them to be of zeroth generation for the sake of reference). The main feature of first generation (1940 - 1956) computers was vacuum tubes. The architecture of second generation (1956 - 1963) computers was based on transistors. Third generation computers (1964 - 1971) saw the introduction of integrated circuits. And fourth generation (1971 - present) computers are based on microprocessors. And now we are in the fifth generation (present - henceforth) of computers, where artificial intelligence takes precedence. Following is the story of the man who invented the computer, and when he did that, little did the world know that Charles Babbage had managed to alter the course of history .
