Quick Timeline
1848 - Lovelace and Babbage
Ada Lovelace, writes the world's first computer program. According to Anna Siffert, a professor of theoretical mathematics at the University of Münster in Germany, Lovelace writes the first program while translating a paper on Babbage's Analytical Engine from French into English. "She also provides her own comments on the text. Her annotations, simply called "notes," turn out to be three times as long as the actual transcript," Siffert wrote in an article for The Max Planck Society. "Lovelace also adds a step-by-step description for computation of Bernoulli numbers with Babbage's machine — basically an algorithm — which, in effect, makes her the world's first computer programmer." Bernoulli numbers are a sequence of rational numbers often used in computation.
1853 - Georg and Edvard
Per Georg Scheutz, alongside his son Edvard, is credited with the creation of the inaugural printing calculator—a groundbreaking invention in Sweden. Their remarkable machine holds historical importance as it was the pioneer in computing tabular differences and subsequently printing the computed results. This invention, highlighted in Uta C. Merzbach's book, "Georg Scheutz and the First Printing Calculator" (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1977), marks a significant advancement in the realm of computation and printing technology. The Scheutz father-son duo's innovation represents a pivotal step in the evolution of calculative devices, laying the foundation for subsequent advancements in printing and calculating machines.
1975 - Microsoft
Popular Electronics" featured the Altair 8080 on its January cover, heralding it as the inaugural minicomputer kit capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with commercially available models. This pivotal moment caught the attention of two tech enthusiasts, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, described as "computer geeks." Inspired by the magazine issue, they approached the task of developing software for the Altair using the then-new BASIC language. Their successful completion of this initial project marked a significant turning point. It led to the establishment of Microsoft on April 4, when these childhood friends decided to team up and launch their very own software company, setting the stage for a groundbreaking journey in the world of computing and technology.
1976 - Apple
On the whimsical date of April Fool's Day, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak joined forces to establish Apple Computer. This collaborative effort led to the unveiling of Apple I, which went down in history as the initial computer to feature a single-circuit board along with Read-Only Memory (ROM), as cited by MIT.
1984 - Macintosh
Amid the grand stage of a Super Bowl advertisement, the Apple Macintosh made its worldwide debut. Pioneering this milestone, the Macintosh was introduced with a retail price of $2,500, as noted by the National Museum of American History (NMAH).
1989 - World Wide Web
At the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), British researcher Tim Berners-Lee submits a proposal that lays the groundwork for what would ultimately become the World Wide Web. This visionary paper outlines his concepts for Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), which serves as the foundational architecture of the Web.
2001 - Mac
Apple introduces Mac OS X, later rebranded as macOS, as the evolutionary successor to its conventional Mac Operating System. This advanced system undergoes 16 iterations, each bearing a version number prefixed by "10". Notably, the initial nine releases are affectionately named after prominent big cats, with the first, aptly codenamed "Cheetah," marking the beginning of this feline-inspired nomenclature, as outlined by TechRadar.
2016 - Quantum Computer
A groundbreaking achievement unfolded with the development of the inaugural reprogrammable quantum computer. This innovation marked a turning point in quantum-computing platforms, as it enabled the programming of new algorithms into the system—a capability unprecedented until that moment. As highlighted by Shantanu Debnath, the lead author of the study and an esteemed quantum physicist and optical engineer at the University of Maryland, College Park, previous quantum-computing setups were usually customized for specific algorithms, unlike this reprogrammable system.
The first "computer" is a matter of interpretation based on what is defined as a computer. The concept of a programmable machine that can perform various calculations goes back several centuries.
The Analytical Engine, conceptualized by Charles Babbage in the 1830s, is often considered one of the earliest designs for a general-purpose computer. It could perform various calculations and execute commands by following a sequence of instructions. Although it was never completed in Babbage's lifetime, it laid the foundation for modern computing principles.
Another early contender is the Antikythera mechanism, dating back to ancient Greece (around 100 BC), often referred to as an analog computer. It was designed to predict astronomical positions and eclipses.
However, the modern era of computers is often said to have started with the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), built in the 1940s. It was one of the first electronic general-purpose computers, designed to solve complex mathematical problems.
The Analytical Engine was a groundbreaking design for a mechanical general-purpose computer, conceived by the English mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage in the 1830s. It is considered one of the earliest known designs for a programmable computer and a predecessor to the modern digital computer.
Babbage's Analytical Engine was designed to perform a wide range of mathematical calculations and could be programmed to execute various tasks through the use of punched cards. The design included many key components of a computer, such as an arithmetic logic unit, control flow through conditional branching and loops, and storage in the form of a memory system.
Ada Lovelace, is well-known for her pioneering work in providing extensive notes and annotations on the Analytical Engine. In these notes, she described algorithms and recognized that the Analytical Engine could be used for more than just number crunching, foreseeing its potential for creating music and art. Her contributions to the Analytical Engine are considered some of the earliest examples of computer programming.
While the Analytical Engine was never fully constructed during Babbage's lifetime due to the complexity and cost of the project, it remains a significant milestone in the history of computing and a precursor to the modern computers we use today.
Modern computers have become smaller and more powerful due to advancements in technology, with faster processors and improved graphics. They offer extensive connectivity, portability, and user-friendly interfaces, with touchscreens and voice recognition. Storage has evolved with solid-state drives and cloud options, while the internet has transformed communication and information sharing. Artificial intelligence plays a significant role, and security measures have been enhanced. Overall, computers are now highly efficient and central to various aspects of our lives.
The storage landscape has revolutionized with the introduction of solid-state drives and cloud storage solutions, altering how we store and access data. The internet, a significant catalyst in this evolution, has reshaped communication and information sharing globally, enabling instant access to vast amounts of data. Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of modern computing, significantly contributing to various applications and functions. Furthermore, advancements in security measures have strengthened the protection of personal and sensitive data, making computers more reliable and secure. Overall, these improvements have rendered computers incredibly efficient and integrated into nearly every facet of our lives.