History
In the beginning, there were no computers or calculators.To add or subtract, our forefathers used their fingers and toes. At some unknown point. they realized that by using some objects to represent digits, it might be possible to perform computations beyond the limited scope of one's own fingers and toes.
The first man-made computing device was the abacus, probably using pebbles or beads. By manipulating the pebbles or beads, our forefathers were able to make rapid calculations.
In 1642, Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, invented the adding machine, the mechanical calculating machine. The machine adapted partly the principle of the abacus but did away with the use of the hand to move the beads or counters. Instead Pascal used wheels to move counters. The principle of Pascal's today such as in the counters of tape recorder and odometers.
In 1674, Gotttried Wilheim Von Leibnitz made improvements on Pascal's machine.With the improvements, it was possible for the machine to divide and multiply as easily as it could add and subtract.
In the 19th century, when the age of industrialization spread throughout Europe. Joseph Marie Jacquard invented the mechanical loom. With the use of cards punched with holes. it was possible for the Jacquard loom to weave fabrics in a variety ol patterns.
The idea of using punched cards to store a predetermined pattern to be woven by the loom triggered an idea in the mind of Charles Babbage, an English Mathematician. He developed the concept of an "analytical engine" which could perform all mathematical calculations, store values in its "memory," and perform logical comparisons among values. What Babbage conceived is now a reality - the modern computer - but at that time, it could not be built because electronics was not yet known.
In 1890, Herman Hollerith, working with the Census Bureau, adapted the punched card concept of Jacquard.Census data were translated into a series of holes in a punched card The code developed by Hollerith is still being used today on telex machines. Hollerith's machine was highly successful. It cuts time for tabulating by t"wlhirds.lt made money for the company that manufactured the machine. In 1911, this company joined the compeWor to form International Business Machines (IBM).
From that time on, innovation after innovation were made to help man do faster calculations.
Effects of the Computer on Society
Computers are now medical diagnosis. For instance at the Berlin Medical Center, computer tomography is utilized to examine the nervous system and detect tumors, strokes, cancer, and other mass lesions. Banks also use sophisticated computers to respond immediately to the needs of their clients through the use of ATM cards.
In industry, the computer is a great asset. It helps the engineers in their building construction designs. It is an efficient assistant in the automotive industry where the computerized robot performs a number of operations like attaching screws, drilling, and boring.
Computers have found their way into education, too. In our schools today, computers are used for drill and practice lessons.
Computers influence developments in information and communication. A new communication device called modem (modulator-demodulator) will connect your home computer to the public telephone so that the newspaper company can transmit the news to you. This will do away with the traditional newspaper which has been beset with increasing cost of paper, labor, and transportation.
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