The evolution of computational tools has evolved from simple to complex, from low to advanced, for exampleENIAC Computersuch as from the "ropes notes" in the knot to calculate the chip, abacus calculation ruler, mechanical computer and so on. They have played their respective historical roles in different historical periods, and have also inspired the development of modern electronic computers. In 1889, American scientist Herman He Leri developed a power-based electric watch machine for storing computing data. In 1930, American scientist Van Neva Bush made the world's first computer simulator. February 14, 1946, the world's first computer "Electronic Digital Integration Computer" (ENIAC Electronic Numerical and Calculator), customized by the U.S. military, was unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. ENIAC (Chinese name: earliest) is the United States oberding weapon test ground to meet the needs of the calculation of ballistic development, the calculator used 17840 tubes, the size of 80 feet x8 feet, weighs 28t (ton), the power consumption of 170kW, the operation speed of 5,000 times per second of the addition operation, The cost is about $487000. The advent of the ENIAC has epoch-making significance, indicating the advent of the electronic computer age. In the next more than 60 years, computer technology developed at an alarming rate, with no single technology having a performance-price ratio that could grow by 6 orders of magnitude in 30 years.
- 1th Generation: Electronic tube Digital Machine (1946-1958)
In terms of hardware, the logic element uses a vacuum tube, and the main memory uses the Mercury delay lineElectronic Tube Digital computer, cathode rays oscilloscope tubes electrostatic memory, drum, core, external memory is a tape. Software is used in machine language, assembly language. The field of application is dominated by military and scientific calculations. It is characterized by large volume, high power consumption and poor reliability. Slow (generally thousands of to tens of thousands of times per second), expensive, but for the future of computer development laid the foundation.
- 2nd generation: Transistor Digital Machine (1958-1964)
Hardware-side operating systems, high-level languages, and their compiler programs. The field of application focuses on scientific calculation and transaction processing, and begins to enter the field of industrial control. The features are reduced volume, reduced energy consumption, improved reliability, increased operating speed (typically 100,000 times per second, up to 3 million times), and higher performance than the 1th generation of computers.
- 3rd generation: Integrated circuit Digital Machine (1964-1970)
On the hardware side, the logic element uses medium and small scale integrated circuits (MSI, SSI), the main memory still uses the core. The software aspect has appeared the time-sharing operating system as well as the structure, the large-scale programming method. Features are faster (typically millions of to tens of millions of times per second), and reliability has been significantly improved, the price is further reduced, the product towards the general, serialization and standardization. Applications began to enter the field of word processing and graphic image processing.
- 4th Generation: LSI Machine (1970-present)
In terms of hardware, logic components are used in large scale and VLSI (LSI). In the aspect of software, database management system, network management system and object-oriented language are presented. It is characterized by the birth of the world's first microprocessor in Silicon Valley in the 1971, creating a new era of microcomputers. Applications from scientific computing, transaction management, process control gradually towards the family. Due to the development of integrated technology, semiconductor chips have a higher degree of integration, each chip can accommodate tens of thousands of or even millions of transistors, and the operator and controller can be concentrated on a chip, thereby appearing microprocessor, and can be used microprocessor and large-scale, VLSI assembly into a microcomputer, is the microcomputer or PC that we often say. Microcomputer small size, cheap, easy to use, but its function and operation speed has reached even more than in the past mainframe computers. On the other hand, the use of large-scale, VLSI manufacturing of various logic chips, has been made to the volume is not very large, but the operation speed of up to 100 million or even billions of times supercomputer. In 1983, after the successful development of 100 million times per second of the Galaxy Ⅰ this type of giant machine, and in 1993 the development of 1 billion times per second operation of the Galaxy Ⅱ-type universal parallel supercomputer. This period also produced a new generation of programming languages, database management systems and network software. With the physical element, the device changes, not only the computer host has undergone a renewal, its external equipment is also constantly changing. For example, external memory, from the initial cathode rays display tube to the core, drum, and later developed into a universal disk, now there are smaller, larger capacity, faster CD-ROM (CD-ROMs). Times eniac
| period |
time |
typical computer |
description |
first generation computer
(tube) |
1946
February 16 |
The first computer in human history, developed by the University of Pennsylvania, covers an area of 170 square meters, consumes 150-kilowatt of electricity, costs $480,000, and can perform 5,000 additions or 400 multiplication operations per second. A total of 18,000 tubes were used. |
| 1950 |
edvac |
The first parallel computer, the realization of the father" von Neumann "two ideas: the use of binary and stored programs. |
Second generation computer
Transistor |
1954 |
TRADIC |
IBM's first computer, which uses transistors, adds floating-point arithmetic, which greatly improves computing power. |
| 1958 |
IBM 1401 |
This is the representative of the second generation of computers that the user can rent at that time. |
| Period |
Time |
Typical computer |
Describe |
| Fourth generation computers (large scale and VLSI) |
1970 |
IBM s/370 |
This is an important product of IBM's replacement, using LSI instead of core storage, small-scale integrated circuit as a logic element, and using virtual memory technology to separate hardware and software, thus clarifying the value of software. |
| April 1975 |
Altair 8800 |
MITS is manufactured with 1KB memory. This is the first microcomputer in the world. |
| April 1977 |
Apple II |
NMOS6500 1MHz cpu,4kb RAM 16KB ROM, the first PC with color graphics in computer history |
| August 12, 1981 |
IBM PC |
Using Intel 8088CPU with a clock frequency of 4.77MHz, the memory 64kb,160kb floppy drive, the operating system is Microsoft-provided MS-DOS |
| January 19, 1983 |
APPLE LISA |
The first computer with a mouse, the first computer to use a graphical user interface. |
| March 8, 1983 |
IBM PC/XT |
Uses INTEL8088 4.77MHz of cpu,256k RAM and 40K ROM,10MB HDD, two 360KB floppy drive. |
| August 1984 |
IBM Pc/at |
Uses Intel 80286 6MHzCPU, 512KB memory, 20MB HDD and 1.2M floppy drive. |
| September 1986 |
Compaq Desktop PC |
Using the Intel 80386 16MHz cpu,640kb memory, 20MB HDD, 1.2M Floppy drive, is the first computer in the history of 386 computers. |
|
April 1989 |
DELL 80486 |
Use Intel 80486DX CPU 640KB memory, 20MB HDD, 1.2M floppy drive. |
| 1996 |
|
The basic configuration is Pentium or Pentium MMX cpu,32m Edo or SDRAM memory, 2.1G HDD, 14 inch spherical display for standard configuration. |
| 1997 |
|
The basic configuration begins to transition to the Celeron processor, with some high-end machines starting to use the Pentiumii CPU, while the memory is also transitioning from the early Edo to the hard drive around sdram,4.3g to become the standard configuration. |
| 1998 |
|
Celeron processors with 128K two cache are the favorites of the majority of the installed, while 64M memory and 15-inch displays begin to become standard configurations. |
| 1999 |
|
Some brands have started to use the PENTIUMIII CPU as a selling point for computers, and 64M of memory and 6.4G hard drives have become the standard configuration of computers. |
| 2000 |
|
66M and 100M FSB Celeron processors occupy most of the brands or compatible machines in the market, 128M memory, 10G above the hard disk began to become standard configuration, 17-inch display slowly into the home. |
| 2001 to present |
|
Pentium 4 CPU and Pentium 4 Celeron CPU began to become the standard configuration of the computer, memory from the SDRAM to achieve the transition to the DDR, while 17-inch CRT display or 15-inch LCD display began to become the user's first choice, the hard disk gradually to more than 40G capacity development. |
|
Apple IMac G5 (m9248ch/a) |
Processor type PowerPC G5 configuration, Frequency 1600MHz or more, memory capacity 256MB, HDD capacity 80GB, monitor type 17 "LCD. This is the innovation of Apple Computer, which integrates all the parts of the host into the monitor interior. A monitor is a computer. |
002_ Computer History and future direction
