History of Computing Flashcards
What is the abacus? When was it developed? What is its purpose?
Frame with rows and beads which are slid
Developed in Babylonia, 5000 years ago
Used for calculations (finger powered calculator)
What is an algorithm?
A finite set of unambiguous instructions to solve a problem
Where was the term algorithm raised from?
9th century mathematician called Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi (his name is latinized algorithmi)
What are some examples of algorithms?
Euclidean algorithm for finding the greatest common divisor of two numbers
The sieve of Eratosthenes for finding prime numbers
What were the early calculating machines like? Examples?
Manual or mechanic
Slide rule used in science in engineering until replaced by pocket calculators
Mechanical calculators
What is the Jacquard loom?
Used for weaving patterns and making textiles
Used punch cards to define complex patterns worn into textiles
What are punch cards? Uses?
A stiff piece of paper with holes, the presence or absence of holes in pre defined positions to dictate the design of the cloth also eventually used to code computer programs
What did George Boole create? What is it? What did it do?
Boolean algebra
Math where all the terms are either true or false
Laid logical foundations of digital computer circuitry
what time was labeled ancient history?
Before 1930
What time was labeled the birth of the electronic computer?
1930-1951
What did Claude Shannon do?
In 1937 he introduced the application of Boolean logic in creating digital computing machines
In 1948 he published “a mathematical theory of communication” which established the principles for encoding information so it might be reliably transmitted electronically
Considered father of modern information age
Who proposed the idea of Von Neumann architecture? What is it? What is it the basis for?
John Von Neumann
Stored program so that one computer could do many programs because they are stored as binary data in memory
Uses a fetch decode execute instruction cycle
Modern computers
What did Alan Turing do?
Led WWII research group that broke the code for the enigma machine
Proposed abstract universal machine model for defining computability called the Turing Machine
Devised the Turing test for AI
What is the use for Turing machine and Turing test?
Any algorithm that can be run on a normal computer can be run on a Turing machine, if it can’t be done on a Turing machine it can’t be done on a computer
A way to test an AI ability to successfully mimic a human being (involves two people and a AI, one person listens to their answers and tries to guess which one is the AI)
What is the Enigma machine?
Most sophisticated code system of its day, made by Germany in WWII, breaking the code was a propriety for the Allie’s and the Germans thought it was unbreakable
What computers contributed to decrypting German coded messages?
Bombe and Colossus
What was the first electronic general purpose computer? Why was it made? I hat was it known for?
ENIAC
US army for computing ballistic firing tables
Massive scale and redundant design, used vacuum tubes to control electrical signals, decimal internal coding
What does ENIAC stand for? Did it use Von Neumann Architecture?
Electronic numerical integrator and computer
No had to be required to change tasks
What do vacuum tubes do? What does decimal internal coding mean?
Transfer electricity
Used decimals and not binary numbers
What does a function table do?
Stores variables and constants
What time was labeled the age of the mainframes?
1951-1970
What were mainframes used for?
Large computers used for buildings and research
What did Grace Murray Hopper create? Why? What does it do?
Compiler
Tired of writing machine code by hand
Program that converts code in one language to another and improved programming speed and efficiency
What is the transistor? What is an integrated circuit?
Replacement for vacuum tubes
Allowed many transistors to be placed on a small circuit
What was made possible using transistors? (First device built with transistors)
Hearing aids
What is the IBM system/360?
Introduced in 1954, it was not the first series of mainframes but it was really popular, family of computers with compatible architecture covering a wide price range and established the standard for mainframes
How were trajectories calculated when trying to land on the moon?
using IBM mainframes
How was control guidance controlled?
the onboard guidance computer had less processing power than modern appliances, but had autopilot capabilities
What did Margaret Hamilton do?
led the team that coded programming for the guidance computer on Apollo space program, coined the term software engineering and considered a pioneer in software engineering
What did Gordon Bell and DEC do? What does DEC stand for?
developed the first “mini”-computers (1960-1983)
brought computing to small buisinesses
created major competition for IBM and Univac which only created mainframes
What did the DEC PDP series do? How much was PDP-8 introduced?
offered the performance of mainframes for much cheaper
introduced at 20000, normal mainframes were 1million
What are supercomputers? What companies created these?
developed in late 1970s, high performance systems used for scientific purposes (weather forecasting, codebreaking etc), advanced special purpose design
IBM, NRCPC, NUDT Dell EMC, Cray,
NEC, and others
What is the main difference between mainframes and supercomputers?
supercomputers are more specialized and can do one task extremaly quickly
mainframes are for more general purposes
What is an example of a modern day supercomputer? What are the uses?
IBM Summit supercomputer
hydrodynamics, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, climate modelling and financial modelling
When was the age of personal computers?
1970s onward
What is the Intel 4004 microprocessor? What did it do?
first commercially available microprocessor, contained 2300
transistors and ran at100 kHz
first used in programmable calculator, made the personal computer possible
(created in 1972)
What are desktops/personal computer?
use microprocessors, aimed at a mass audience, work station, performance/price tradeoffs (1975 and later)
WHat is Altair 8080?
first kit microcomputer
created in 1975 by MITS
How did microsoft begin?
in 1975 Bill Gates and Paul Allen approached Ed Roberts of MITS and promised to deliver a compiler for
BASIC language
What was the radio shack TRS-80?
built in 1978, first plug and play
personal computer available at retail
programmed in BASIC, was succesful and afforable
limited commercial software, created a cottage industry
What was the Osborne I?
built in 1981, first “portable” personal
computer, came with lots of bundled
software, only weighed around 20
kilos and sold for $1795, very small screen 5inch
What was the Osborne I?
built in 1981, first “portable” personal
computer, came with lots of bundled
software, only weighed around 20
kilos and sold for $1795, very small screen 5inch
What was IBM PC?
made in 1982, IBM first personal computer, open architecture, established a new standard – legitimized the personal computer, operating system was supplied by microsoft
What are the contributions of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)?
ethernet networking technology, laser printers/copiers, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) programing paradigm, workstations Alto and Star were the first to use a window-based
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
WHat was the Apple MacIntosh?
second to use a GUI, adapted from work done at Xerox, designed to be a computer for “real people”, introduced at 1984 superbowl
What was Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)?
large computer network (1969), allowed universities to share data, communication protocols developed for ARPANET in early 1980s served as the basis for the Internet
What is Moore’s Law?
number of transistors on circuit will doulbe every year (so far true)
How has price/performance changed over the years?
price decreased and performance increased
