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A Brief History of Computers
Colossus
Astrolabe
Abacus
- A mechanical computer invented by the Greeks around 80BC.
- Plots the position of the stars.
- Used as a navigational aid by sailors.
- The first electronic, progammable computer.
- Invented in 1943 by a team of British Scientists at Bletchly Park.
- Created during World War II to crack German codes.
- Dismantled after the war and kept a secret for many years.
- Has now been rebuilt at the National Museum of Computing, now based at Bletchly Park.
- Invented in 1642 during the Renaissance.
- Could perform all four arithmetic functions.
- Did not rely on Human intelligence.
- An idea thought of by Alan Turing.
- The first concept of a General Purpose computer.
- Not a specific computer, but modern computers use principles first thought of by Alan Turing.
- Modern computers are developing at an astonishing rate.
- Early pioneers included Apple, IBM and Hewlett Packard who were amoung the first companies to market desktop, general purpose computers for home and business use.
- First introduced in an early form in 1970s and continue to develop very quickly indeed.
- First programmable device.
- Used punch cards to program a loom to weave particular patterns.
- Invented by a Frenchman Joseph Jacquard.
- A simple rack of beads.
- Beads are moved around as an aid to counting.
- Can be used for simple arithmetic.
- First used in Sumaria around 2,500 BC.
- First programmable mechanical computer.
- Invented in 1837 by an Englishman; Charles Babbage.