The history of computing Flashcards
When was the Abacus in use
1000-500 BC
What is the Antikythera mechanism
- Its the oldest example of an analogue computer
100 BC - It was used to predict eclipses and the irregular movement of the moon
Who created the first automatic mechanical calculator and when
In 1623: Wilhelm Schickard
- It could add and subtract 6 digit numbers
Who created a calculator that could multiply and divide
Gottfried von Leibniz in 1640
What was Charles Babbage’s first attempt at the mechanical computer
1822: The difference engine
How much funding did Babbage receive from the government and when
1823: £1700
What was the name of the exceptional toolmaker he hired
Joseph Clement
What year did Babbage have a working prototype of the difference engine
1832
When and why did they halt the construction of the difference engine
1834, though Babbage designs were feasible the metalworking techniques of the era meant it could not be produced economically and with the precision required. Babbage spent 17,000 by this point and his new theory of the analytical engine undermined the project
What did the difference engine do
It mechanised a series of calculations with a number of variables and could store values for later processing
When did Babbage come up with the idea for the analytical engine
1937
What was the analytical engine
A general purpose programmable computing machine
Did babbage make the analytical engine
No, they didn’t have enough funding
When did Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace meet
1833
Who was Ada Lovelace
- She is often regarded as the first computer programmer, the program being ‘Note G’
