Interest in computers has been on a steady increase since its birth. In order to fully understand the evolution of computer technology, one must first have a basic understanding of how a computer works. It is vital to understand the different components that make a computer and know-how each part functions in relation to the other to understand better how computers work.
Short History of Computing
From Babbage’s Analytical engine to the modern computing era, the history of computers is an exciting journey. Charles Babbage, the father of computing, invented the first mechanical programmable computing machine in 1822. From then onwards, several inventions happened, and we can see that the computing machines evolved through several stages.
Modern-day computers are Digital Personal Computers that can store and process large amounts of data. Most of these computers can be found in our homes and offices.
Different Generations of Computer – Evolution of Computer
- The first generation of computers used vacuum tubes as their essential components. The electronic computer was developed to calculate ballistics tables, and it took about 20 years to reach this milestone.
- The second generation of computers was started in the 50s, with the invention of the transistor.
- Third-generation computers were started in the ’60s, based on monolithic integrated circuits, which Jack Kilby invented.
- Fourth-generation computing started in the ’70s, which is based on a microprocessor. Ted Hoff developed the first microprocessor.
- Fifth-generation computing includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Intelligence (MI).
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Hardware and Software
A computer is a mechanism that manipulates data according to a list of instructions(called a program). It has Hardware and Software, and Hardware refers to a computer’s physical components, such as a keyboard or monitor. Software refers to the programs and data which is used by the Hardware.
Hardware includes CPU, Keyboard, Monitor, and Printers while The Software includes Operating system, word processor, spreadsheet, etc. Hardware is used to communicate with other devices, and Software is used to communicate with human beings.
Operating Systems and Computer
Operating systems make computers easy to use and affect how fast work can be done. They allow the computer hardware and software to interact quickly, controlling how we input and output data.
The first operating system was developed by a computer scientist, John von Neumann, in 1945 and was named the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC). It was fundamental and did not include many modern operating systems’ features. However, it had essential elements such as input and output, memory storage, and CPU control.
List of Operating Systems
- Windows
- Linux
- OSX
- Unix
- macOS
- Free BSD.
- Chrome OS
Conclusion
In Conclusion, Computers have been around for a very long time. They have evolved from relays to vacuum tubes, and finally, apart from that, the latest Artificial technology makes our breaths so much easier and faster.
