The History of Computers

By: Taylor Simoneau

PCs
What does PC stand for?
PC stands for personal computer.
Who made PCs?
Bill Gates and his company, Microsoft, made PCs in
the 1950s.
When did PC users gain access to the World Wide
Web?
PC users gained access to the Web in the mid 90s.

Examples of PCs
Definitions
Convergence: the concept of everything
coming together.

RAM: Random Access Memory, its a form
of data storage.

Multimedia: the integration of multiple forms
of media. This includes text, graphics,
audio, video, animation, etc.
Computer Basics
Basic Tasks They Perform:

- Find Information
- Store Data
- Have Fun
- Calculations
- Run Software
- Learn to Communicate with
Others
Uses Now and in Schools:

- Communication Tools
- Learning Tools
- Temperature Control In
Classrooms
- Research
- Calculations
Computers Through the
Generations







Abacus- Before 1387
AD
Univac-1951
Macintosh 128k- 1984
Early Computers
3 Early Computers from the 40s and 50s:
Three early computers are Mark One, Univac and Eniac.
Earlier Computer Languages:
Three early computer languages are Cobol, Fortran and Basic.
Why did Earlier Computers Break Down so Often?
Early computers broke down so often because generated too
much heat and used too much energy.

Mark 1- 1944
Univac- 1951
Eniac- 1946
First Computers
What was the operating speed of Australia's first computer and
how much RAM did it have?
Australias first computer (CSIRAC) operated at the speed of
0.001mnz and had 2 Kbytes of RAM.
What was the name of the first large scale production personal
computer?
The name was Apple 2.
What was VisiCalc and why was it so important?
VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet software and it took it from a
hobby to a business.

To the left is Australias
first computer, the
CSIRAC and to the
right is the VisiCalc.
2
nd
Generation Computers
Second generation computers were much more advanced than
first generations; second generation computers were smaller,
faster, cheaper and more reliable than first generations. These
computers are still a far cry from the technological advancement
of our computers today, but they are still better than those of the
first generations.

Examples of 2
nd
Generation Computers
3
rd
Generation Computers
The technological advancement of computer networking led to
the advantage of silicon chips. These computers, much like the
ones before when they were evolved from first generation to
second generation, are more portable, cheaper and less energy
consuming than second generation computers. Less heat was
produced from these computers and eventually, these
computers were used all over the world.
Examples of 3
rd

Generation Computers
People on a Computer Now
Person on a Computer in the 1950s Computers have
changed and
transformed so greatly
over the years. As you
can see in the pictures
to the side, computers
are now more portable
and smaller than they
were before.
Computers have
become faster, more
advanced and easier to
operate over the years.
We now have portable
computers in the forms
of iPads, iPhones and
any other Apple
product. How much
more can we really do
to advance computers?
For more information
see Computer History
Timeline.