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1300 BCE
Abacus
The abacus is a calculating tool. The abacus was used for addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Tim Cranmer is the inventor of the abacus. The abacus is important to computer development because it may be the first computer. -
220 BCE
Astrolabe
The astrolabe is an instrument that can calculate latitude. Apollonius of Perga invented the astrolabe. The astrolabe is important to computer development because it was one of the first computer type instrument to be created. -
100 BCE
Antikythera Mechanism
The Antikythera Mechanism is an ancient Greek hand powered orrery. Hipparchus is known for coming up with the mechanism. Antikythera Mechanism is important to computer development because it was the first analogue computer. -
Period: 100 BCE to 1300 BCE
Prehistory
Prehistory computing is the time of when computers were not even a thing. Prehistory computers were considered the abacus, Antikythera Mechanism. -
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage was a mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer. He invented the difference engine, pilot, analytical engine. Babbage was important to computer development because he was given credit for devising the first ever mechanical computer. -
Period: to
Mechanical
A mechanical computer is a computer with mechanical components such as levers and gears. -
Analytical Engine
The analytical engine was a mechanical general-purpose computer. It was designed by Charles Babbage with the help of Ada Lovelace. It would be able to do any calculation set before it. The analytical engine is important to computer development because it was the first design for a general-purpose computer. -
Ada Lovelace
Ada is a mathematician and an assistant of Charles Babbage. Ada helped Charles with the Analytical Engine. Ada Lovelace is important to computer development because she was introduces as the first computer programmer. -
Diode
A diode is a device that allows current flow one way but not the other way. It was used for electric currents. John Ambrose Fleming invented the diode. Diode is important to computer development because it is helpful for radio signals. -
Period: to
Electronic
Electronic computing is where a digital electronic computer is a computer machine which is both an electronic computer and a digital computer. -
Alan Turing
Alan Turing was a computer scientist, mathematician. He invented the bombe, banburismus, LU decomposition, universal Turing machine, and the automatic computing engine. The universal Turing engine is a Turing machine that restores an arbitrary Turing machine on arbitrary input. Alan Turing is important to computer development because he laid groundwork for computing. -
Harvard Mark 1
Harvard Mark 1 is a electromechanical computer designed by Harvard University staff. The inventor is professor Howard Aiken. Mark 1 was used for war, it was used in the last part of WW2. Mark 1 is important to computer development because it was the first working machine that could perform long computations automatically. -
Microcomputer
The microcomputer is a small computer that has a microprocessor in it. It was used for applications. Francois Gernelle was the inventor. The microcomputer was important to computer development because it made exchanging easy and cheap. -
Period: to
Mini/Micro
Mini/Micro were computers. Microcomputers were faster computers and smaller, where minicomputers were bigger computers that worked slower. -
Transistor
A transistor is a device used to amplify or switch electric signals. William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain worked together to invent the transistor. The transistor is important to computer development because it needed less space and power. -
Interpreters
An interpreter is a computer program that takes high leveled language and puts in into simpler words. Steve Russell invented the interpreter. The interpreter is important to computer development because they are helpful for businesses. -
Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist. She invented the first compiler, which could translate programming code to machine language. She was important to computer development because she invented the first compiler. -
Period: to
Artificial Intelligence
It is a computer system that can do human activities such as visual insight, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages, without human intelligence. -
IBM 608
The IBM 608 was invented by Robert A. Henle. The IBM 608 was an advanced electronics that could add and subtract. This is important to the computer development because it was the first transistor available for commercial installation. -
Floppy disk
A floppy disk was a storage holding disk that held everything for you. Alan Shugart invented the floppy disk. They are important to computer development because they could hold things between computers, and not have to worry about losing any data. -
Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak was an American electronics engineer, programmer, philanthropist, and technology entrepreneur. He and Steve Jobs invented the Apple 1 computer. He is important to computer development because he personally developed the next model, Apple II, which established Apple as a major player in microcomputing. -
Altair 8800
Altair 8800 was a microcomputer. It was considered a popular electronic in 1975, and was mailed to people. Ed Roberts was the inventor of the altair 8800. Altair 8800 is important to computer development because it was one of the first personal computers. -
Apple 1
Apple 1 was invented in 1976. It was used for playing games, developing programs. The inventors are Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. Apple 1 is important to computer development because it was Apple`s first computer. -
IBM personal computer
The IBM personal computer was invented by Don Estridge. The IBM PC is important to computer development because it was the first pc to gain adaption by industry. -
Graphical User Interface
The graphical user interface is a visual way of interacting with a computer using windows, pictures, menus. Xerox Palo Alto Research Center came up with the idea of GUI. GUI is important to computer development because it allows the computer to use a mouse, stylist, or a finger on the screen.
