History of Computers

By kaidansmathers
  • 2400 BCE

    Abacus

    Abacus
    Before Christ the Babylonians invented the abacus, used to count and help with numbers.

  • Napier's Bones

    Napier's Bones
    John Napier invented a set of rods that could perform complex calculations.

  • Joseph-Maire Jacquard

    Joseph-Maire Jacquard
    Joseph-Maire Jacquard developed a weaving loom that used punched cards.

  • Charles Babbage

    Charles Babbage
    First idea, (input-execution-output), of a computer was by Charles Babbage. He later brainstormed the Analytical Engine, but never finished it.

  • Herman Hollerith

    Herman Hollerith
    Herman Hollerith created the punch card calculator.

  • Analytical Engine

    Analytical Engine
    After Charles Babbage died, his son completed the Analytical engine.

  • Lee De Forest

    Lee De Forest
    Inventor Lee De Forest made the first electrical tube, the audion, that made a weak electrical signal stronger.

  • Howard H. Aiken

    Howard H. Aiken
    The first programmed controlled calculator was developed at Harvard by Howard H. Aiken.

  • Colossus

    Colossus
    Colossus was the first electric programmable computer, it was used by the British in World War II.

  • Transistor

    Transistor
    The next significant development was the transistor. It could do the work of several electrical tubes. It was developed at Bell laboratories by William B. Shockley, Walter H. Brattain, and John Bardeen.

  • Grace Hopper

    Grace Hopper
    Grace Hopper was in the Navy and developed the first high level language compiler. She also found the first computer bug.

  • FORMula TRANSlator

    FORMula TRANSlator
    Grace Hopper invented two different computer languages, this was the first.

  • COBOL

    COBOL
    COBOL was the next computer language that was developed by Grace Hopper.

  • Integrated circuit

    Integrated circuit
    The first integrated circuit was invented by Jack Kilby, Robert Noyce, Frank Wanlass, and Edward Keonjian.

  • 3rd Generation Computers

    3rd Generation Computers
    The third generation of computers rolled out around the same time as integrated circuits. These were about the size of a large toaster.

  • ALGOL

    ALGOL
    ALGOL is short for algorithmic language, tis was standard for textbooks and academics for 3 decades.

  • APL

    APL
    APL is a programming language developed by Kenneth E. Iverson

  • BASIC

    BASIC
    BASIC is the most well known computer language. This was developed in the "home computer" era. It is widely used and can be learned easily.

  • Computers coming of age

    Computers coming of age
    By 1975 computers had made their way and started showing up in businesses. Computers went down in price and became more widespread.

  • Cray 1

    Cray 1
    Cray 1 is the name of the first ever super computer. It took nearly a year to assemble and was the fastes working computer for 5 years.