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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 was the first computer to be invented?
The Manchester Mark 1 was the first computer that was made and worked.
I do not know EXACTLY when the very first computer was made, but the first fully electronic computer was made in 1942 Iowa State College.
Where was the first computer mouse was made?
Well the first mouse was invented by Tom Cranston, Fred Longstaff and Kenyon Taylor, but the design was not patented.
Douglas Engelbart of the Stanford Research Institute invented the wheel-based mouse in 1963. The first ball-based mouse was invented by Bill English at Xerox PARC in 1972.
Douglas Engelbart
What invention led to computers becoming smaller and lighter?
Ever since the first computer, advances in technology made it possible to maker smaller and smaller computers. The 50's reduced the size of computers drasticly with the invention of the transistor, which replaced the old glass vaccum valves.
Jack Kirby, development engineer for Texas instruments is credited with the first microchip, the critical technology for microcomputers, The first one was made in 1958.
Classification of computer according to its size?
According to size
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe Computers
• Minicomputers
• Workstations
• Microcomputers, or Personal Computers
Supercomputers : are widely used in scientific applications such as aerodynamic design simulation, processing of geological data.
• Supercomputers are the most powerful computers. They are used for problems requiring complex calculations.
• Because of their size and expense, supercomputers are relatively rare.
• Supercomputers are used by universities, government agencies, and large businesses.
Mainframe Computers: are usually slower, less powerful and less expensive than supercomputers. A technique that allows many people at terminals, to access the same computer at one time is called time sharing. Mainframes are used by banks and many business to update inventory etc.
• Mainframe computers can support hundreds or thousands of users, handling massive amounts of input, output, and storage.
• Mainframe computers are used in large organizations where many users need access to shared data and programs.
• Mainframes are also used as e-commerce servers, handling transactions over the Internet.
Minicomputers: are smaller than mainframe, general purpose computers, and give computing power without adding the prohibitive expenses associated with larger systems. It is generally easier to use.
• Minicomputers usually have multiple terminals.
• Minicomputers may be used as network servers and Internet servers.
Workstations
• Workstations are powerful single-user computers.
• Workstations are used for tasks that require a great deal of number-crunching power, such as product design and computer animation.
• Workstations are often used as network and Internet servers.
Microcomputers, or Personal Computers : is the smallest, least expensive of all the computers. Micro computers have smallest memory and less power, are physically smaller and permit fewer peripherals to be attached.
• Microcomputers are more commonly known as personal computers. The term "PC" is applied to IBM-PCs or compatible computers.
• Desktop computers are the most common type of PC.
• Notebook (laptop) computers are used by people who need the power of a desktop system, but also portability.
• Handheld PCs (such as PDAs) lack the power of a desktop or notebook PC, but offer features for users who need limited functions and small size.
Personal Computers(PC)
Desk Top
Lap Top
Palm Top
PDA
They can also be classified in different ways like classification of computers by size. v Super computer
Super computers can process huge amounts of data, The biggest in size, the most expensive in price than any other is classified and known as super computer. It can process trillions of instructions in seconds. This computer is not used as a PC in a home neither by a student in a college. Governments specially use this type of computer for their different calculations and heavy jobs. Different industries also use this huge computer for designing their products. In most of the Hollywoods movies it is used for animation purposes. This kind of computer is also helpful for forecasting weather reports worldwide. v Mainframes
Another giant in computers after the super computer is Mainframe, which can also process millions of instructions per second and is capable of accessing billions of data. This computer is commonly used in big hospitals, air line reservation companies, and many other huge companies prefer mainframe because of its capability of retrieving data on a huge basis. This is normally to expensive and out of reach from a salary-based person who wants a computer for his home. This kind of computer can cost thousands of dollars. v Minicomputer
This computer is next in line but offers less than mainframe in work and performance. These are the computers which are mostly preferred by the small type of business personals, colleges, etc. v Personal computers
Almost all the computer users are familiar with the personal computers. They normally know what the personal computer is and what are its functions. This is the computer mostly preferred by the home users. These computers are lesser in cost than the computers given above and also, small in size; they are also called PCs in short for Personal computers. This computer is small in size and you can easily arrange it to fit in your single bedroom with its all accommodation. Today this is thought to be the most popular computer in all. v Notebook computers
Having a small size and low weight the notebook is easy to carry to anywhere. A student can take it with him/her to his/her school in his/her bag with his/her book. This is easy to carry around and preferred by students and business people to meet their assignments and other necessary tasks. The approach of this computer is also the same as the Personal computer. It can store the same amount of data and having a memory of the same size as that of a personal computer. One can say that it is the replacement of personal desktop computer.
What is the time period of first generation of computer?
That is a difficult and well debated question. It depends what you define as a computer. Electronic computers only go back to the 1940s. However there were many mechanical computing devices for centuries before that. If you want to really go back you can say that the first computer was a simple device invented over 5000 years ago and still in use in many schools today, namely the abacus.
Microsoft Incorporation
Microsoft was incorporated June 25, 1981. Find a host of chronological fast facts about Microsoft at http:/www.microsoft.com/presspass/inside_ms.mspx#ImportantDates .
Who invented the first tandy color computer?
The first 'Tandy Color Computer' was referred to as the 'Radio Shack Color Computer'. It wasn't until near the end of the second version of the color computer (There were three in total) that the name was changed to the 'Tandy Color Computer 2'. The first version, as with the others, was developed by the Tandy Corporation (parent company of Radio Shack). The original color computer used the Motorola MC6809E microprocessor as the primary CPU, MC6847 VDG (Video Display Chip), The MC6883 SAM (Synchronous Address Multiplexer), and two Peripheral Interface Adapter chips (for Input/Output). That, plus RAM and ROM comprised the heart of the machine. The original machine came with 4k of RAM and 8k of ROM (color basic). Ultimately, Tandy released an extension to color basic (extended color basic), bringing the ROM to 16k, and RAM upgrades to 16, 32, and ultimately 64k. The original color computer had the standard 'Tandy Gray' color and a 'calulator style' 'chicklet' keyboard. The final revisions of the first color computer did convert to a white case. The next version of the color computer was functionally identical to the first in nearly every respect, and had an improved, but still flat keyboard, which was eventually changed to a full travel keyboard. The internal workings were improved, but retained the same basic chip layout for CPU, Video, SAM, and PIA. The last computer in the line was the Tandy color computer 3, which added 4 keyboard keys (control, alt, F1, and F2), and much of the internal workings were condensed to a single chip. The Video and Address chips were condensed to a single Chip (GIME)or 65424 Chip. This chip emulated all supported modes of the original machines, but left out some upsupported, (but non the less sometimes used) 'semi graphics' modes. It did however increase the resolution and color set over the older systems. By the end of life cycle of the color computer, it had a huge following which lives on today in a small, but active vintage community and emulators, but by the early 90's, it was clear that the majority of the market was going the PC compatilble route, and the color computer 3 was discontinued.
How did Steve Jobs invent the Apple computer?
Steve Jobs worked summer jobs at a California apple farm. He also liked the Beatles and their label, Apple Records.
When he and Steve Wozniak tried to come up with a company name, they decided that if they couldn't think of anything better by the end of the day, they'd go with the name "Apple." And they couldn't, so they did.
Apple Computers was founded on April 1, 1976.
The fact that the company was called "Apple", and that they manufactured computers, came about the name Apple Computer.
As of 2008, they are no longer referred to as Apple Computer, their new name is 'Apple Inc." short for, Apple Incorporated.
Steve Jobs worked in a Macintosh Apple orchard as a kid.
Who invented the first computer screen?
Until the early 1980's most monitors were terminals. They were boxy video display terminals (VDT's) combined with an attached keyboard.
In 1981, IBM introduced the first PC, also known as a "three-piece computer" because the monitor, keyboard and CPU were separate, rather than earlier computer terminals, which combined the monitor and keyboard.
Who created the first graphical computer?
Using a CRT originally designed as a RADAR display. The computer then calculated the coordinates of the points to be drawn and digital to analog converters generated the waveforms needed to draw those points one at a time on the screen. Video was NOT used! Drawing recognizable shapes like characters was very slow and consumed significant amounts of computer time.
Who invented the concept of stored program why is this concept so important?
Nobody actually knows, except that it was being discussed on the ENIAC project before John von Neumann was introduced to the project. John von Neumann gets credit because of a distribution mistake, after he wrote the first paper on the concept.
It is important because all modern computers are based on some variant of it.
When was computers where made?
Intel makes a large number of chips. Their headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, USA. But they have manufacturing plants in several countries. Most computer parts that are made in America are made in California. But today, most of it is made in China, Japan, and Taiwan.
If you mean computers as a final product, you can add Mexico, Greenock, Rochester and Santa Palomba to that list amongst others.
Was there computers during World War 2?
Computers in the 40's were used to perform calculations for the military of the country that developed it. The Z3 in Germany was the first such computer, with the American Harvard-IBM MARK I and ENIAC, along with the English Colossus coming soon after that.
What was the name of first super computer When it was introduced?
The term supercomputing arose in the late 1920s in the United States in response to the IBM tabulators at Columbia University. The CDC 6600, released in 1964, is sometimes considered the first supercomputer.
Is a video camera a input or output device?
It is a device or component that reads a video recording, like a DVD/VHS player, and sends the information to a display device like a TV. A video input device can also be a camera that records video and sends the information to a storage device and can also display the captured images on a TV.
How did the first electronic computers of the 1940s and 1950s compare to the modern PCs?
Very slow, big, and hot. On the issue of speed a typical memory cycle took on the order of 100 microseconds although there were both faster and slower machines. On the issue of size and heat until about 1958 practically all computers used vacuum tubes, even the smallest vacuum tubes were at least 3/4 inch in diameter and a couple of inches tall and dissipated several watts of power keeping their cathodes red hot.
A medium sized computer might be a laptop. Desktop computers are usually the largest and take up the most space. A laptop is the next size down. Then there is the notebook and tablet.
Which web browser was the first browser?
The first web browser in the history of the world was WorldWideWeb, and it was created by Nexus on February 26th, 1991. During that time, very few of the world's people were using the Internet; only 4,000,000 of them. WorldWideWeb was a turning point for computer history, and now, there are hundreds of web browsers out there, besides the five most common ones: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera. WorldWideWeb was VERY basic compared to modern day browsers.
1) Input is when the data is entered into the computer: There are 3 stages involved when imputing data; they are collection, verification, and coding. Collection collects the data and assembles it. The verification checks whether the data being processed it exact and complete. Coding means translating the data, in order for it to be used into machine readable form. 2) Process - The data is processed and organised. 3) Output is when the data which had been processed is presented as a document etc. Answer:
Data processing can be likened to the manufacturing process. In manufacturing,raw materials are processed, or made into a finished product. The raw materials maybe considered "input" to the processing machine. The finished product is "output." Inthe electronic computer, data are the raw material or input to the computer. Thefinished product, or output, is usually a printed report or an updated file containing datathat have been processed or manipulated in some way. The three functions (or stages)of data processing are: input, process (or manipulation), and output. Input involvescapturing data and getting it into a farm understandable to the computer. Processingencompasses the various steps taken by the computer to manipulate the data andprovide information. Output makes the computed results of processing available for usein decision-making
Which language is the most suitable for computer programming?
Binary code is the computers language.
For example you sent 300mb from Drive C:/user to D:/Data
The computer could end up transalting this to numbers us 0's and 1's.
When was the first modern computer invented?
in the 5os
-tshay
That depends on how you define 'modern-day computers'. The first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century (1940-1945), and were the size of a large room. Personal computers (PCs) only came about in the 1970s, after the microprocessor was introduced.
It's impossible to pin down an exact date of invention or inventor, as multiple companies worked on developing the computer as we know it. You could check out the release dates for certain milestone computers, such as the Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 Computers (1974/75), but all in all, the development of the computer was a progressive collaboration.
What are the 3 main types of computers in terms of processing the data?
These are three main type of computers: Personal computer :- For Home and Business applications Server :-For Commercial use and data storage Super computers :- For Military, research work and weather forecasting
What were used in second generation of computer?
In second generation of computer transistors were used Transistors were took place instead of vaccume tubes in 1st generation High lever languages were used such as COBSL , FORTRAN and these were still used for some application Many finanacial programms were used in this computers In 2nd generation of computer the instructions was stored inside the computer memory Out standing features for 2nd generation of computer 1 very small in size 2 less expensive 3 more storage capacity 4 reduction of heat 5 faster speed
How did Bill Gate inventions change the world?
Bill Gates and his corporation have made few inventions as such. Generally they have developed other people's work profitably.
Bill Gates's big break came when he developed the Q-DOS operating system for the IBM PC, calling it MS-DOS. Well, the first software invention happened when he was 13 or 12 years old, when he began programming on his school computer with ForTran (FORmula TRANslation) and LISP (LISt Programming). The major invention was Windows 1.0, the first software that was commercially used by Microsoft. Then they made Windows 3.0 and 3.1 then 95 and 98. Then it was NT and 2003 XP and Server and then Vista. The next O/S will be Windows Vienna.
