Shows the progress of computers from mechanical computers to digital tablets.

1. Progress of Computers
Created on Aug 5 2014
For
The Windows Club
By PowercutIN

2. Early computers were mechanical
Computers were there since Leonardo Da Vinci’s time. He created some
good machines that relied upon computing. However, those machines
never got to be used by mathematicians etc. and served personal
interests of then then kings etc. (eg: self propelled cart, mechanical lion)
Anything that helps in computing anything is a computer. Todays
computers compute, store and do many more operations on data.
Early computers were basically calculators with or without storage
capability. This presentation is a tour of interesting pieces I found
when checking out progress of computers.

3. The Night Time Machine
A device by Leonardo that
helped people figure out
time during the nights.
In case you are wondering how is
this relevant, clocks are also a
form of computers that compute
time using tension or crystal
algorithms that hold true to date

4. Designed using pinwheels for tough calculations,
Among the first computers that were used by mathematicians

5. Designed in beginning of 1820s.
Also, one of the first calculators used by clerks for computing.
Arithmometer:

6. FELT’s COMPTOMETER
Designed 1889
First calculator able to print
Subsequent versions were called Comptograph as it
could print calculations using narrow width paper
Can you figure out how
to use it?
Looks more complex
than mathematics
subject!

7. Early 1900s (1904
onwards)
Burroughs was the
widely accepted
calculator with printing
abilities as you can see
in the image.
It was said that
Burroughs was pretty
easy to use after being
trained and was a hit
among clerks and
mathematicians. It
kept on adding
features to make it
much acceptable.

8. 1910
The desktop model of
Burroughs Adding machine.
Burroughs had a storage
system and printing system
too.
They kept on improving the
quality of adding machine
and were also into
manufacturing and sales of
related accessories such as
ink ribbons, storage devices
etc.

9. Hermann Hollerith Punching Card
Around 1890s, as others developed calculators, Hermann Hollerith came
up with the idea of punching cards that he used with his custom designed
equipment (see next slide) for computing things as complex as census.

10. Hollerith Tabulating Machine and Sorting Box
Replica of early Hollerith punched card tabulator and sorting box
(right) at Computer History Museum

11. A description of this system, “An
Electric Tabulating System (1889)”,
was submitted by Hollerith to
Columbia University.
The punched cards were put into
the main machine that would
contain electric pins. When they
encountered hole (punch), they
touched the other part and circuit
was completed to add one.
The doctoral thesis was printed and is available under the name of Randel –
Origins of Digital Computing

12. ENIAC: The first “real” computer with general purpose and
some special functions. Whole image is one computer,
excluding the ladies!

13. ENIAC 1: Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer
Was designed around 1945 & served war purpose initially

14. Released around
1948, was a bunch
of vacuum tubes
still employing
punch cards and
IBM reader for
input and output.
IBM Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC)

15. SEAC (Standards Eastern Automatic Computer)
First-generation
electronic
computer, built
in 1950
A small-scale
computer
designed to be
built quickly and
put into
operation.

16. IBM CPC (Card Programmed Computer);
Built 1952
Hinted the rise of
smaller and easily
usable computers
Was double the size
of a xerox machine
and was still
dependent on cards
for programming.

17. UNIVAC: Universal Automatic Computers
Built in 1951
Capable of storing
programs inside the
computer – rather
than feeding them
again and again
using punch cards

18. IBM 650
First mass
produced light
computers that
was available to
both military and
civilians.
The size was
much shorter
compared to
other computers
we saw in the
slide. Early
buyers were
hobbyists.

19. IBM 7090 Console – Designed in 1959
Was much bigger
and not intended
for personal use.
The rates were
too high
But this
computer
marked the
transition of
computers from
vacuum tubes to
transistors which
now form the
base of modern
computers.

20. MITS Altair 8800: Designed in 1974
Beginning of Micro
computers.
There were some
smaller models
before too but this
one was widely
sold out due to
extensive
advertising.
Magnetic Disks
(Floppy) were
used to feed data
and programs.

21. IBM 8086: Designed around 1974.
Brings us up to date
with modern day
computers. This was a
16 bit computer that
allowed internal hard
disk storage and
external floppy drives.
The demand for this
computer made it so
popular that IBM
continued with the
models until Pentium 4

22. Desktops were further compressed into laptops
using integrated circuits.
The possibility of
manufacturing complex
circuits with smaller
transistors made it
possible to make portable
computers that can be
used anywhere. There
are plenty of brands
available each varying in
size of screen, weight and
other features

23. The present is a transition
from desktops (slide 21) to
convertibles.
Convertibles serve both as a
laptop and as a tablets
(computers with touchscreen
that are more mobile than
laptop – given their weight).
Microsoft’s Surface Pro