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Basics of Computer | How Computer Works? | Computer Source.

Evolution of Computers

Here’s a chronological overview of key milestones in the history of computers:

Ancient Times

  • 3000 BC: The Abacus, an ancient counting tool, is used in Mesopotamia. It is one of the earliest known computing devices.

    • Early Mechanical Computers

  • 1202: Fibonacci introduces the Fibonacci sequence in his book "Liber Abaci," which later becomes important in computer algorithms.
  • 1623: Wilhelm Schickard builds the first mechanical calculator, the "Schickard's Calculating Clock," capable of addition and subtraction.
  • 1642: Blaise Pascal invents the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculator designed to assist with tax calculations.
  • 1673: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz develops the Step Reckoner, a mechanical calculator that could perform multiplication and division.
  • 1801: Joseph Marie Jacquard invents the Jacquard loom, which uses punched cards to control the pattern being woven. This concept influences future computer programming.

    • Early Concepts and Mechanical Computers

  • 1642: Pascal invents the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculator.
  • 1673: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz develops the Step Reckoner, a mechanical calculator that could perform multiplication and division.

    • 19th Century

  • 1837: Charles Babbage designs the Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer. Although never completed, it laid the groundwork for future computers.
  • 1843: Ada Lovelace writes notes on Babbage's Analytical Engine, which include what is considered the first algorithm intended for implementation on a computer, making her the first computer programmer.

    • Early 20th Century

  • 1936: Alan Turing proposes the Turing Machine, a theoretical construct that underpins modern computer science and algorithms.
  • 1937-1941: John Atanasoff and Berry develop the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), an early electronic computer that used binary representation.

    • World War II Era

  • 1941: Konrad Zuse completes the Z3, the world’s first programmable digital computer.
  • 1943-1944: The Colossus computers, designed by Tommy Flowers and his team, break encrypted German messages and are used in World War II.
  • 1945: The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), designed by John Presper Eckert and John William Mauchly, is completed. It is one of the first general-purpose electronic digital computers.

    Post-War Developments

  • 1947: John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain invent the transistor at Bell Labs, which revolutionizes computing by replacing vacuum tubes.
  • 1951: The UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer) is the first commercially available computer.

    • Mainframe and Minicomputers

  • 1956: IBM introduces the IBM 305 RAMAC, the first computer to use a hard disk drive.
  • 1960: The development of UNIX, an early operating system by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie at AT&T's Bell Labs, begins.

    • Personal Computers and Microprocessors

  • 1971: Intel releases the 4004, the first commercially available microprocessor.
  • 1973: Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn develop the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP), foundational technologies for the Internet.
  • 1975: Microsoft is founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
  • 1977: The Apple II, one of the first successful personal computers, is introduced by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs.

    • The Rise of the Internet and Modern Computing

  • 1981: IBM releases its first personal computer, the IBM PC, which sets the standard for PC architecture.
  • 1991: Tim Berners-Lee introduces the World Wide Web, revolutionizing the way people access and share information online.
  • 1995: Windows 95 is released by Microsoft, bringing many features that become standard in modern operating systems.

    • 21st Century Advances

  • 2001: Apple introduces the iPod, which revolutionizes the way people listen to music.
  • 2004: Mark Zuckerberg and his team launched Facebook, a platform that significantly influences social media and networking.
  • 2007: The first iPhone is released, marking the beginning of the smartphone era.
  • 2010: Microsoft releases Windows 7, which gains widespread adoption and praise.
  • 2019: Google demonstrated that Quantum Computing is a practical reality, instead of a theoretical possibility. They still didn't built physical qubits that could last as long as we wanted, but they built them to last long enough to do some specific calculations faster than the world's most powerful supercomputer.

    • This timeline highlights major developments and innovations, but there are many other significant events and figures in the history of computing.