The Origins Of Computing

Have you ever wondered how computers work or where they come from? This week, in my university course, Fundamentals of Computer Science, we studied the history of computing and how it all came to be.

The origins of computing date back to many years ago when rising civilizations started using certain devices to count and calculate information, such as calculating boards and abacuses. However, after many revolutionary events and technological advances, computing technology came into existence. Some experts say that the computing era started in 1946 when the United States military made the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) public.

Then, there are other experts who debate that the computing era is much more modern and started when the Internet was created and made it possible to exchange information from one computer to another, regardless of location.

For now, lets define the word ‘computer’. Meriam Webster’s online dictionary defines this word as “a programmable usually electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data”. Since computers started, there have been 5 generations, each with its own developments and advancements, that have brought us to where we are now and to the computers we use daily.

The first generation of computers started in the 1950’s when computers such as the EDVAC and UNIVAC were created. These were huge computers that took a lot of space, consumed a lot of energy and generated a lot of heat. A decade later, in the 1960’s, the second generation began when transistors were created, which reduced the size of circuits, but the computers continued being big, energy consuming and heat generating. However, waves were made in this decade. Networks of magnetic cores were created to store data. Also, some notable computers were created, including the UNIVAC M460, the IBM 7090 and the IBM 7094.

In the mid 1960’s, even more advances were made, initiating the third generation of computers. Integrated circuits were developed, which started minimizing the size of computers. Perforated cards and magnetic tapes were also created to store data.

The fourth generation of computers, the 1970’s, made computers accessible to the general public and not just the militia. Microchips, operative systems, floppy disks and optical storage media were invented. Perforated cards disappeared and the microcomputer was conceived by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who co-founded and launched Apple.

In the 80’s and 90’s computers became popular, opening the fifth and final generation of computing. In 1981, IBM sold 60 million of its IBM PC. That same year, Apple launched its PC with an integrated mouse. This decade also saw major storage media get bigger in size.

Some experts say we are still in the 5th generation. Others say we are not, and consider smartphones, iPads and such devices as a different generation.

However, let’s talk a bit about computers and how they work. The following video explains the inner workings of computers and how they process our commands.

In the video we can see how just a simple mouse click makes the computer work vigorously to respond. A mouse click sends a message to the Central Processing Unit, also known as the CPU. This CPU does the thinking, fetches the instructions in its memory and then executes those instructions. It can execute a billion activities per second, like moving your mouse as you play music or entering the letters you just typed in the keyboard. With a single click of the mouse, the computer visits all the critical components in its body to execute your request in a matter of seconds or less.

It really is impressive how a computer works. Still after reading about how it works and having it explained, I continue to be amazed. Even if the history of computing seems complicated and extensive, it’s important to know it. We must know where these inventions came from and how they work, especially when we use them daily. Almost every day we witness new technological advancements being made. It seems like technology’s evolution is endless and we must always be on the lookout for these new inventions.