history of computer notes | evolution of computer notes : elearnersmentor : an elearning platform

In this article on history of computer notes | evolution of computer notes we will discuss how various calculating devices were invented and how they were modified in later periods.

Let’s start the devices one by one

Table of Contents

Abacus

In around 2400 BC the first calculating device named Abacus was invented in Babylonia.
It was later developed and first used in China in around 500 BC.
Abacus consisted of a wooden frame having beads which were placed next to one another in rods or wires arranged in rows.
Sums were done on it by moving the beads along the wire or rod.

Napier’s Bones

The second device we will include while studying article on history of computer notes | evolution of computer notes is Napier’s Bones

In 1614 a scottish mathematician John Napier invented a device for doing multiplication of numbers called as Napier’s Bones.
This device used to have 11 rods each having four sides.
These rods were further divided into 9 diagonal numbered parts which when placed next to one another used to produce the multiplication result .
Napier’s Bones was called so as the rods used in the device were made from bones.
It could perform multiplication, division, square, cube roots of numbers.
This device was based on logarithms.
It was further improved in 1917.

Slide Rule

In 1632 an English mathematician William Oughtred invented a hand held calculating device called as Slide Rule which was again based on logarithms.
It was an analog device.
The Slide Rule used to have two movable rulers placed side by side.
Each Ruler had numbers printed on it.
By sliding the Rulers it could quickly produce results of multiplication and division.
It was primarily used for multiplication, division, roots, logarithms, trigonometry
It was not normally used for addition and subtraction.
The Slide Rule was very popular untill 1970 before the electronic calculators were developed.
The Slide Rulers were used by Engineers and Scientists for complex calculations.

Pascaline

In1642 a French mathematician Blaise Pascal invented a calculating machine called as Pascaline.
It was the first mechanical calculating machine.
This machine consisted of gears, wheels and dials.
Sums were done on it by roatating a series of number wheels.
It was only used for Addition and Subtraction of numbers.
The Pascaline is the forerunner of all mechanical machines.

Stepped Reckoner

In 1673 a German mathematician named Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibnitz further improved Pascaline and developed a machine called Stepped Reckoner .
It could perform all four operations such as Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division.

Jacquard’s Textile Mill

In 1801 a French mathematician Joseph Marie Jacquard invented a machine which used punched cards to make patterns or designs on cloth.

The presence and absence of holes in the punched cards were used to produce the desired patterns or designs on cloth.
The use of punched card first started during this period. In later period other people started to use punched cards to put information or data into computer.

Differenece Engine

In 1822 an English mathematician Charles Babbage invented an automatic calculating machine called as Difference Engine.
It was run by steam.
It could perform any kind of mathematical operations automatically unlike Abacus and Napeir’s Bones where user had to put a little effort to get the output. In case of Differenece Engine user had to enter only the values and the operations to be performed on the values to get the output.
It could perform all the four mathematical operations such as Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division.

Analytical Engine

In 1832 Charles Babbage invented Analytical Engine .
It was the first general purpose mechanical computer.
It could also perform all kinds of mathematical operations automatically like Difference Engine .
Analytical Engine was like modern computers .That is why Charles Babbage is known as the father of modern computers.
It had four components such as Mill, Store, Reader and Printer.
Mill was the calculating unit. All the calculations were performed in Mill.
Store was the storage unit. It was used for storing the values.
Reader was the input device in the machine. It was used to feed values into the machine.
Printer was the output device in the machine. It was used for getting the result.
Lady Augusta Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron and a friend of Charles Babbage assisted him in the programming by appropriately using binary number system in program and data to be fed into Analytical Engine.

Punched Card Reading and Data Processing machine

In 1890 an American statistician Herman Hollerith developed a machine that used punched cards for reading and processing the results of the 1890 census in U.S.A.
The 1890 census count was completed in 3 years using this machine as compared to 7 years taken by 1880 census.
Hollerith formed his own company “The Computing Tabulating Recording Company” which was later came to be known as IBM(International Business Machine) Corporation headquartered in U.S.A.

Mark I

In 1937 Howard Aiken, the professor of Harvard University with his students and with the support of IBM developed the first electro-mechanical computer using relays, and switches.
He used Hollerith’s punched cards and Charles Babbage principle of computers.
Mark I was a decimal machine i.e. the computations were performed using decimal digits.
It looked like a giant monster with several metres of electrical wires.
The machine occupied several rooms.
The data movement in the machine using wires was quite difficult which is one of the disadvantages of the machine.

Conclusion

friends, I hope now your concept is clear on the history and evolution of computer. If you find any difficulty in understanding please let me know in the comment section.

If you are interested in reading generations of computer, click the link generations of computer notes.

Read article on MCQs on history of computer where you will get many important questions for various competitive examinations.

Recent articles

M. Choudhury

Hello students,

Welcome to my site. I am the founder of the blog elearnersmentor.com. I have been in teaching profession since 2004. Presently I am working as a vocational subject teacher(IT) in a reputed govt. higher secondary school. Read more

elearnersmentor : an elearning platform

history of computer notes | evolution of computer notes