Csc1010 – chapter1 – history of computing
Before the industrial revolution
The Renaissance was a time of great philosophical and scientific progress, including critical milestones in mathematics that would lead toward the invention of the computer.
Boolean Algebra: This was published by George Boole in 1854. It clarified the mathematical field of Booldan logic and algebra. It formed the basis for computer hardware. For further details, please visit
George Boole's Contribution
Early calculating devices
These appeared approximately before 1820. The basic calculating devices were invented to support simple mathematics. This category of devices were mechanical in nature and could not store any data.
Abacus
Napier's Bones
Slide Rule
- Invented by William Oughtred in 1622
- Following up on Napier's work with both logarithms&Napier's Bones
- Performs a variety of mathematical calculations
-
How to Use a Slide Rule (video)
The Rechenuhr (Calculating Clock)
- First mechanical calculating device
- Built by Wilhelm Schickard in 1623
- Functioned accurately but had several mechanical flaws and was never placed into full production
Pascaline
Von Leibnitz “
Stepped Reckoner ”
- Built in 1673 by German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz
- Inventor of differential&integral calculus
- Calculating device improving on the Pascaline
- Could multiply as well as add and subtract (but still couldn't divide).
The industrial revolution
The 1700s and early 1800s were a time of great political and social unrest (examples: the American and French Revolutions). As a result, mathematics and science took a back seat to other endeavors until the political and social climate settled down and the Industrial Revolution began early in the 19
th century.
19
th Century computing devices
Jacquard’s Loom
- Invented by Joseph Jacquard between 1801-1804
- Built upon the work of Basile Bouchon, Jean Falcon and Jacques de Vaucanson to create an automatic weaving loom.
- Wove intricately patterned cloth based on instructions contained on punched cards.
- The first programmable stored instruction machine actually built.
-
Jacquard Loom: Early Computer Programing (video)
Charles Babbage
-
Charles Babbage can be considered the single most important individual in the pre-20
th century development of the computer.
- Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University
- Co-founder of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Cryptographer who broke Vignere's autokey cypher (thought to be unbreakable)
- Inventor of the locomotive cow-catcher
Difference Engine
- Version 1: 1820-1830
- Solved polynomial equations of the form ax2+bx+c to an accuracy of six places
- Gear-driven machine
- All calculating was done with repeated addition
-
Difference Engine Simulator
- Prototype consisting of 1/7 of the final machine was built in 1832
- Remainder was never completed
Image from the Science Museum via computerhistory.org
Analytical Engine
- Designed 1833-1842
- Stored program machine to perform any type of arithmetic calculation
- Numerous limitations prevented Babbage from actually building it
- Politics, economics, personalities were as much a factor as technology
- Comprised of three main parts
- “Mill” for calculations
- “Store” for storing data
- Input/output device
- Design corresponds in many ways to the basic architecture of the modern computer
- Babbage
describes the Analytical Engine in his autobiography
- Machine has not been built to this day
-
Plan28.org Has been established to build the Analytical Engine by 2020
- Watch John Graham-Cunningham's TEDx talk on “
The Greatest Machine that Never Was”
Difference Engine #2
- Designed between 1847 and 1849
- Improved upon the original Difference Engine with a simpler design to achieve the same computing power
- Again, not built during Babbage's lifetime
-
Was finally built between 1985 and 2002 by the Science Museum of London, exactly to Babbage's original plans
