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The History of Computers


"Who invented the computer?" is not a question with a simple answer. The real answer is that many inventors contributed to the history of computers and that a computer is a complex piece of machinery made up of many parts, each of which can be considered a separate invention.
This series covers many of the major milestones in computer history (but not all of them) with a concentration on the history of personal home computers.
Computer History
Year/Enter
Computer History
Inventors/Inventions
Computer History
Description of Event
1936
Konrad Zuse - Z1 ComputerFirst freely programmable computer.
1942
John Atanasoff & Clifford Berry
ABC Computer
Who was first in the computing biz is not always as easy as ABC.
1944
Howard Aiken & Grace Hopper
Harvard Mark I Computer
The Harvard Mark 1 computer.
1946
John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly
ENIAC 1 Computer
20,000 vacuum tubes later...
1948
Frederic Williams & Tom Kilburn
Manchester Baby Computer & The Williams Tube
Baby and the Williams Tube turn on the memories.
1947/48
John Bardeen, Walter Brattain & Wiliam Shockley
The Transistor
No, a transistor is not a computer, but this invention greatly affected the history of computers.
1951
John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly
UNIVAC Computer
First commercial computer & able to pick presidential winners.
1953
International Business Machines
IBM 701 EDPM Computer
IBM enters into 'The History of Computers'.
1954
John Backus & IBM 
FORTRAN Computer Programming Language
The first successful high level programming language.
Stanford Research Institute, Bank of America, and General Electric
ERMA and MICR
The first bank industry computer - also MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) for reading checks.
1958
Jack Kilby & Robert Noyce
The Integrated Circuit
Otherwise known as 'The Chip'
1962
Steve Russell & MIT
Spacewar Computer Game
The first computer game invented.
1964
Douglas Engelbart
Computer Mouse & Windows
Nicknamed the mouse because the tail came out the end.
1969
ARPAnetThe original Internet.
1970
Intel 1103 Computer MemoryThe world's first available dynamic RAM chip.
1971
Faggin, Hoff & Mazor
Intel 4004 Computer Microprocessor
The first microprocessor.
1971
Alan Shugart &IBM
The "Floppy" Disk
Nicknamed the "Floppy" for its flexibility.
1973
Robert Metcalfe & Xerox
The Ethernet Computer Networking
Networking.
1974/75
Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 ComputersThe first consumer computers.
1976/77
Apple I, II & TRS-80 & Commodore Pet ComputersMore first consumer computers.
1978
Dan Bricklin & Bob Frankston
VisiCalc Spreadsheet Software
Any product that pays for itself in two weeks is a surefire winner.
1979
Seymour Rubenstein & Rob Barnaby
WordStar Software
Word Processors.
1981
IBM
The IBM PC - Home Computer
From an "Acorn" grows a personal computer revolution
1981
Microsoft
MS-DOS Computer Operating System
From "Quick And Dirty" comes the operating system of the century.
1983
Apple Lisa ComputerThe first home computer with a GUI, graphical user interface.
1984
Apple Macintosh ComputerThe more affordable home computer with a GUI.
1985
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft begins the friendly war with Apple.
SERIES
TO BE
CONTINUED


Detail of Computer Hystory

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