History of

Computer
Hareen Baloch
 Origin of the term
“ Computer”
The word "computer" originates from the Latin word
computare, meaning "to calculate" or "to sum up".

Initially, from the 1600s, a "computer" referred to a person

who performed calculations, a job that was common for
decades. Only in the late 1800s did the term begin to be
applied to machines that calculate, eventually referring to
the electronic devices we know today by the mid-20th
century.
 What is Computer ?
A computer is an electronic device that takes information
as input, processes it according to stored instructions,
and then provides the result as output.
 History of Computer

Mechanical Era of Computer Electronical Era of Computer

 01. Abacus

02. Napier’s Bones

Mechanical 03. Slide Rule
Computers
04. Leibniz Calculator
Mechanical computers are devices that perform
calculations and operations using physical, moving parts
like gears, levers etc rather than electronic components.
05. Pascaline

06. Jacquard Machine

Abacus
The abacus is considered the first mechanical
calculating device, or the first "computer" in a
broad sense, as it was the earliest known tool
for performing mathematical calculations.

The Abacus was first used in China in 3000 B.C.

It is made up of wood and beads. The abacus
was made to help people keep track of numbers
as they do the computing.
 Napier’s Bones
The Napier’s Bone was invented by John Napier
in 1612. The Napier’s Bone is written on strips of
wood or bones. John Napier’s calculating device
got so popular in England and western Europe.
Enabled multiplication, division, and
calculation of square and cube roots
Used movable rods placed on special boards
to perform calculations
Slide Rule
Slide Rule was invented by William Oughtred
in 1622.
The slide rule was made with the ideas
based with the inventions of John Napier’s
Bone.
Primarily employed for:
Multiplication
Division
Extracting roots
Calculating logarithms
Solving trigonometric problems
Typically not utilized for addition or
subtraction operations.
Pascaline Calculator
Pascaline Calculator
Created by Pascal in the year 1642.
Designed specifically for performing addition
and subtraction only.
The device was costly. designed the machine
to add and subtract two numbers and to
perform multiplication and division through
repeated addition or subtraction.
More Accurate calculations than previously
invented devices.
Leibniz Calculator
The Leibniz Wheel was invented by Gottfried
Wilhelm Von Leibniz in 1673. And it can perform
Multiplication, Division and can extract square
roots and arithmetical operations.
Leibniz’s Wheel allow more Complex
calculations than the Pascaline calculator and
was less costly.
Jacquard Machine
The Jacquard Loom, a mechanical device,
was developed by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in
1881.
Punched cards are paper cards that have
holes that were punched by hand or by
computers. The holes represent as data and
stores information by entering the card
through the computer. The Jacquard cards
were later modifies and evolved into a
computing punch cards.
Jacquard Machine
Punch cards

Punch cards are stiff pieces of paper with

punched holes that contain data, such as
instructions for a machine or a program for an
early computer. The presence or absence of a
hole at a particular location represents a binary
value (a 1 or a 0), similar to modern digital
information.
Processing: The computer read the patterns of
holes, translated them into machine code, and
executed the program or processed the data.
 Charles Babbage-The Father of Computer

Difference Engine Analytical Engine

The Difference Engine was a whereas the Analytical Engine was a
specialized mechanical more advanced, general-purpose
calculator generating complex computer design
mathematical functions, such It introduced several features
as logarithmic, trigonometric fundamental to modern computing,
scientific engineering purposes including:
It laid the groundwork for Programmability
modern computing by Conditional Branching and Loops
demonstrating automatic, Integrated Memory and ALU
data-processing capabilities
with storage
Charles Babbage-The Father of Computer

Babbage's Difference and Analytical

Engines laid the conceptual groundwork
for modern computing, with the Analytical
Engine, in particular, anticipating nearly all
the fundamental architectural elements of
today's computers. Although Babbage's
mechanical designs were never
completed in his lifetime, they inspired
later innovators who eventually brought
his ideas into the electronic age.
Difference Engine Analytical Engine
Ada Lovelace - The First Computer Programmer

Ada Lovelace is known as the world's first

computer programmer for her work in the
1840s on Charles Babbage's Analytical
Engine. She wrote detailed notes which is
considered the first computer program, a
method for the machine to calculate
numbers, and recognized its potential
beyond calculations.
The Electronic Era
Started
(1930s-Present)
 First Generation Fifth Generation
(1940s-1956) (Present and Beyond)

Second Generation Computer Fourth Generation

(1956-1963) Generations (1971-Present)

Third Generation
(1964-1971)
First Generation
(1940s-1956)
Technology: Vacuum Tubes
Characteristics: Large, consumed a lot of
power, generated heat, and performed basic
calculations.
 First Generation
Examples of first generation computers include:

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and

Computer)
EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer)
UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer)
IBM 701
IBM 650
 Second Generation
(1956-1963)
Technology: Transistors
Characteristics: Smaller, faster, more
energy-efficient, and more reliable than
vacuum-tube.
Second Generation
Example of models from this era include:
IBM 1620
IBM 7094
CDC 1604
CDC 3600
UNIVAC 1108
 Third Generation
(1964-1971)
Technology: Integrated Circuits (ICs) or
microchips
Characteristics: Led to even smaller, faster,
and more affordable computers, enabling
multitasking and real-time processing for
business applications.
 Third Generation
Notable examples of third generation
computers include:
IBM 360 series
Honeywell 6000 series
PDP (Personal Data Processor)
IBM 370/168
TDC-316
Fourth Generation
(1971-Present)
Technology: Microprocessors

Characteristics: Marked the era of personal

computing, the internet, and multimedia,
making computers accessible for everyday
use and entertainment.
Fourth Generation
Computers from this generation include:
DEC 10
STAR 1000
PDP 11
CRAY-1 (Supercomputer)
CRAY-X-MP (Supercomputer)
 Fifth Generation
(Present and Beyond)
Technology: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Characteristics: Focuses on advanced AI
tasks, robotics, big data analytics, and cloud
computing, pushing the boundaries of what
computers can do.
Fifth Generation
Examples of widely used fifth generation
computing devices include:
Desktop computers
Laptops
Tablets
First Generation Second Generation

Technology: Vacuum tubes. Technology: Transistors.

Characteristics: Very large, slow, Characteristics: Smaller and faster

expensive, and generated a lot of than first-generation computers,
heat. consuming less power.
Fifth Generation
Input/Output: Used punched cards Usage: Primarily for business data
and paper tape processing and scientific research
Technology: Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and advanced Computing

Characteristics: Focuses on parallel

Third Generation Fourth Generation processing, logic programming, and
complex AI tasks like robotics and
big data analytics.
Technology: Integrated circuits Technology: Microprocessors.
(ICs).
Goal: To develop intelligent, self-
Characteristics: Allowed for
learning systems.
Characteristics: Even smaller, personal computers and
faster, and more reliable. networking.

Features: Introduced multitasking Impact: Led to the internet,

and real-time processing (instant multimedia, and widespread
outputs) personal computing
Analog Computers ?
Digital Computers ?
Hybrid Computer ?
 Types of Electronic Computers

Electronic
Analog computers Computers Digital computers

Hybrid computers
Analog Computers
Process continuous data that changes
constantly, like temperature, pressure, or
voltage. Generally non-programmable and
designed for a specific task

At its simplest an analog computer uses a

physical model like a mechanical device or
an electronic circuit, to represent a problem
and solve it. Think of it like a clock with
hands versus a digital clock.

Analog computers are called special-

purpose computers because they are
designed to perform specific tasks
efficiently by processing continuous data in
a smooth manner.
Analog Devices

Analog computers are

deeply related to physics
because they use
physical phenomena,
like electrical voltages,
mechanical motion, or
hydraulic pressure, to
model and solve
problems.
 Digital Computers
A digital computer is a machine that processes
information in a discrete, numerical form,
typically using a binary system of 0s and 1s.
Unlike an analog computer, which uses
continuously variable, a digital computer
represents all data as a series of numbers and
manipulates them based on a programmed set
of instructions.
The process is an electronic version of the
simple input-processing-output model. A digital
computer can store vast amounts of data and
retrieve it quickly from its memory.
Digital Devices
Hybrid Computers
A hybrid computer is a system that integrates
both analog and digital computer technologies
to perform computations.

Hybrid Computers are:

A mix of analog and digital
Handles Different Data
Fast and Flexible
Hybrid Devices

These complex Devices

have both Analog Part
and Digital Part.
 Digital Computers

Super Computers Micro Computers

Mainframe
Computers Mini Computers
Super Computers
Supercomputers: The largest, fastest, and
most powerful computers, costing millions of
dollars. They are capable of processing
trillions of instructions per second and are
used for complex scientific and engineering
problems.
Examples: Weather forecasting, climate
research, and nuclear simulations.
Super Computers
Supercomputers are still actively used and are
more important than ever for addressing some
of the world's most complex challenges. Though
they aren't for personal use due to their
immense cost and scale, they are constantly
being developed and upgraded for scientific
research, national security, and artificial
intelligence.
AI and machine learning: Microsoft and Meta
Scientific simulation: nuclear fusion
Real-time forecasting: satellites, radar and
weather forecasts
National security and defense: cybersecurity
threat analysis, and simulating nuclear weapons
Advanced engineering.
MainFrame Computers
Mainframe computers: Large, powerful, and
expensive computers that can handle
massive data processing and support
thousands of users simultaneously. They are
known for high reliability and security.
Examples: Used by large corporations and
government agencies for tasks like airline
reservations, bank transactions, and census
data processing.
MainFrame Computers
Yes, mainframe computers are very much still in
use. Many industries depend on mainframes for
their unmatched speed and security e.g Banking
and finance, Insurance
mainframes for their reliability and ability to
handle large datasets securely e.g: Government
Healthcare: Mainframes are used to store and
process huge amounts of sensitive patient data,
including medical records and billing
information.
Unparalleled reliability
High-volume transaction processing:
High security.
 Mini Computers
Minicomputers: Also called "midrange
computers," these are smaller and less
expensive than mainframes but more
powerful than microcomputers. They can
serve multiple users at once.
Examples: Used in manufacturing process
control, departmental computing, and
database management.

While the original minicomputers of the 1960s

and 70s are no longer in production, their role
has been largely replaced by modern servers
and other compact, powerful computing
devices.
Micro Computers
Microcomputers: The most common
and smallest computers, also known
as personal computers (PCs). They
use a microprocessor as their
central processing unit (CPU).
Examples: Desktop PCs, laptops,
tablets, and smartphones.

Microcomputers are still widely used,

though the term itself is becoming
less common.
 Classification by purpose

General-purpose computers Special-purpose computers

General-purpose computers: Designed Special-purpose computers: Built to
to perform a wide variety of tasks by perform a single, specific task as
running different software applications. quickly and efficiently as possible.
They are versatile but less efficient at The program for the task is often
any single task than a special-purpose hard-wired into the machine.
computer. Examples: Automated teller
Examples: Laptops and desktop machines (ATMs), traffic light
computers used for web browsing, control systems, and calculators
word processing, and gaming.
 Any
Questions?
Thank you
very much!