Overview
This lecture covers the evolution of computing, tracing key hardware and software advancements from the abacus to modern integrated circuits and programming languages.
Early Mechanical and Theoretical Foundations
- The Chinese abacus (3000 BC) was one of the first counting machines.
- Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical adding machine (Pascaline) in 1642.
- Gottfried Leibniz developed a mechanical calculator and introduced binary arithmetic concepts in the late 1600s.
- Binary (base 2) uses only 0 and 1; essential for modern digital technology.
19th Century Advances
- Charles Babbage designed the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine, theorizing automated calculations and programmable instructions.
- Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm for Babbage’s machine, establishing fundamental programming concepts.
- Herman Hollerith developed the electromechanical census tabulator using punched cards, leading to the formation of IBM.
Early 20th Century—Birth of Digital Computing
- Alan Turing proposed the universal Turing machine (1936), foundational for modern computers.
- Konrad Zuse built the first programmable computer using punched tape and binary logic, and later created the first commercial computer (Z4).
- The Harvard Mark I (1944) was a large programmable calculator; Grace Hopper discovered the first "computer bug" here.
The Digital and Electronic Revolution
- John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry developed the first digital computer (ABC) using vacuum tubes.
- The Colossus (1943) and ENIAC (1946) were early large-scale electronic digital computers.
- John von Neumann introduced the stored-program concept, leading to the EDVAC (1950), the first stored-program computer.
Transition to Modern Hardware and Software
- Vacuum tubes enabled digital computers but were unreliable and power-hungry.
- Silicon transistors, invented at Bell Labs (1947), replaced vacuum tubes, leading to smaller, more efficient computers (TRADIC, 1954).
- The first RAM (magnetic core memory, 1951) and hard drive (IBM, 1957) were introduced.
- Assembly language (1949) and Fortran (1954) advanced software development.
- Grace Hopper created the first compiler, simplifying programming and enabling COBOL.
Integrated Circuits and Modern Computing
- Jack Kilby invented the integrated circuit (1958), allowing multiple transistors on a single chip and driving miniaturization.
- Hardware innovations included the mouse (1964), graphical user interfaces, floppy disks (1971), and DRAM (1971).
- Programming languages such as BASIC (1964) and C (1971) emerged.
- Moore’s Law (1965) predicted computing power would double every two years at lower costs, driving industry progress.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Abacus — An ancient manual counting device.
- Binary Arithmetic — Representation of numbers using only 0 and 1.
- Punch Card — Data input device storing information via patterned holes.
- Boolean Logic — Logical operations with true/false (1/0) outcomes.
- Vacuum Tube — Early digital switching component.
- Transistor — Semiconductor device replacing vacuum tubes, enabling miniaturization.
- Integrated Circuit (IC) — Microchip containing multiple electronic components.
- Stored-Program Concept — Storing instructions in computer memory for flexibility.
- Compiler — Software that translates high-level code into machine code.
- Moore’s Law — Computing power doubles every two years, cost drops.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review key inventors and their contributions to computing.
- Understand the progression from mechanical to digital to integrated circuits.
- Familiarize yourself with basic hardware and software terms for future lectures.