History and Impact of Computing - Essay Example

? History and Impact of Computing First College History and Impact of Computing Introduction: This paper addresses the answers of key questions asked in the context of the computer history and important role of leaderships of the Apple, and other computer manufacturing companies. This paper will also show the key events in the world of digital processing from 1930 to 2012. Comparison of 1950s Computers and today’s computers will be addressed in order to see the evolution like Darwin’s evolution of species. Timeline for the evolution of Digital Processing from 1930s to 2012 Involvement of IBM in the history of digital computing started when no computer existed in 1933. However, IBM card sorting and punch cards, which are considered precursor to computer, were invented. IBM through the German’s subsidiary followed the Jewish destruction. More than 2000 machines were dispatched through Europe and Germany. Figure 1: A Dehomag Hollerith machine (Source: Black, 2001) An American engineer named Vannevar Bush developed the large analogue computer as an accurate device than the previous one in 1930. It was an important achievement in the computing world as earlier devices were not reliable in computing. Claude Shannon who was an American electronic engineer, mathematician and cryptographer worked on the “Communication in Presence of Noise” and published this report after 1949 due to World War II. Claude E. Shannon proved the sampling theorem based on the Nyquist’s results. This work was done in 1940 but published after the 1949 (Normsn 2013). The Horward Aiken who found it sufficient for the satisfaction of computers’ needs initially estimated six electronic digital computing. IBM worked on the Aiken’s prediction and resulted into a development of IBM Stretch computers of 1959. This development became necessary for the storing of million numbers in the RAM as shown in the figure. Figure 2: Length of Console (Source: Kopplin, 2002) Transformation in the computer equipment was seen during 1960s. Early computers were in size of mainframe and then shrink into the minicomputers. Important development was seen when files were stored on the taps and accessed without involvement of any third party. Additional features like small computers, interfaces based on keyboards, and interfaces were included in 1972. Personal computers for the individual use were importantly developed. Computer Interface facilitated the shifts in the new patterns (Turner 2006). In 1981, IBM introduced a more affordable personal computer with a user-friendly design, and operating system having a movable screen. The use of PCs has become on a widespread in the offices, homes, and schools. Introduction of microprocessors in the early 1980s made it possible for several manufactures to make the chips based on the DSP. The data signal processing is a device with a native code. The DSP chips are capable to carry the millions of operations per a second (Poornachandra and Sasikala 2010). In early 1990s, the digital world shifted towards the models of the image processing hardware by the development of single boards. These boards were compatible for the buses of market standards. The image processing hardware contains the digitizer and hardware for primary operations known as the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). The digitizer averages the images as quickly as possible. This development made possible for noise reduction. The image processing also resulted into the storage space with megabytes (Gonzalez and Woods, 2009). Developing of the long instruction word architecture enabled the numeric and intensive algorithms. Digital filtering used in the processing of different video signals reduces the noise effects or corruption pixels in video or images (Parker and Dhanani 2013). These events were selected because progress in digital computing did pass through a history. Historian of computing presented the contribution of the main players in strengthening of the communication and in the context of industrial development. These are the events in the technological development, which brought the economic and social advancement. DARWINIAN SELECTION (Isaacson) Macintosh was the first computer, which met from the IBM framework. After the development of Macintosh, the Microsoft had written a few applications for the Apple II. Gates launched the Microsoft and wrote the language called as the BASIC. BASIC was the first programming language and did not enhance the version for the Apple. It was aimed to make a complete package with a great case, keyboard, and power supply for the software. Digital geeks and power supply were the next to come with switching of power supply. Emergence of a perfect system enabled the hackers, and hobbyists to customize, modify and also jack their computers (Isaacson 2011). Concept of individuals’ instruction changes with the changes in nature. Figure 3: Revolution in computing history (Source: Computer History Museum, 2013) In the above figure, a long history of computer has been shown from the mysterious device to the technology of the future. Steve Jobs the CEO of Apple is the iconic leader with strategic characteristics. Under the leadership of Steve jobs, a Macintosh computer was built that was rival of the current Personal Computers. Apple has become the leading manufacturer of iPod and iPhone (Whitehead, 2011). In early days of computer history, the computers were in a form of the mainframes and minicomputers. This also resembles to the Darwin’s evolution of species. They were expensive and used for the business, scientific and official purposes. Idea of home computers emerged after 1970s and included the commodore, Apple I and Apple II computers (Markoff, 2006). Introduction of 360 IBM series was another important milestone in the history of the computer. The 360 IBM systems ranged from minicomputers with 24 KB memory to the high system of US Defense. The successful home computer was the Altair 8080 developed by the Roberts at MIT. On April 1, 1979 Steve jobs and Wozniak found the Apple computers. Apple II computer was also manufactured in 1977 with 8 bit, RAM of 4K and color display. Mobile Phone revolution and World Wide Web was the development of 1980s and 1990s respectively (O’Regan, 2012). Current ear of computing is equipped with a large number of advancement in the computing world. Therefore, vulnerabilities in the computer system and software have provided the points for the cyber attacks. Inadequate security of computer systems also contributed towards the poor practices (Wilson, 2005). Cerruzi (2003) called the computer meaningless because all historians in computer age used this for their own purposes and not standard procedure was established. Initially it was transformed into UNIVAC from a calculator. Steve Jobs made the computers as the alliance. Each transformation was made by the assertion that further transformation would be unlikely. Even with last development of World Wide Web, it was stated that computer industry was still stagnating. With advent of personal and commercial needs in the computer history, programmers had written the desired programs. THE COUNTERCULTURE TAKES ACTION (Turner) Archives of the Whole Earth Catalog and other papers covered the record of technological and cultural changes for past fifty years. The Whole Earth Catalog brought the members to two worlds in a single document. The Whole Earth Catalog became the most influencing system for the decade. Magazine “Wired” encompassed and depicted the digital world in terms of revolution. Era of the Whole Earth Catalog included the research on the ecology, and consumer culture. This era also attracted most important personalities from Defense department of U.S., digital Software developers and corporations such as Shell Oil etc. A technology vision emerged from the vision of readers and creators of the Whole Earth Catalog. This vision helped the public to understand the computing and related machines. Computers had become smaller and connected and organizations employed these productions. WELL was a global business network through the Wired. A common language was formed that helped people to know the information technology. Forums and networks supported the redefining of the microcomputers into the personal machines (Turner 2006). Reality Hackers went through the reasons of cyberpunk fiction, and Mondo 2000 became the merger of cybernetic and psychedelic, artistic, literacy and cultures. Counter culture credentials were present in the Mondo 2000. Both, Mondo 2000 and Whole Earth Review merged the technology and lifestyle issues. Crash of stock market occurred when fiber optic collapsed during the year 2000 in U.S. This real state bubble also impacted the home prices and inflation. Deflation of the housing bubble impacted the financial system of U.S (Turner, 2006). Conclusions: In this paper, questions under three topics were answered in the context of the key timelines of digital processing. The timeline covered the period from 1930 to 2012. Evolution of computer from minicomputers to today’s most important PCs is also focused. Contribution of Apple, IBM, and Microsoft towards the development of today’s advance computers is also included. Role of important leaders of the computer manufacturing companies including the Steve Jobs is made an important part of the paper. Development of the BASIC programming language and its utilization for computer applications also became an important discussion in this paper. References: Black, E. (2001). IBM and the Holocaust: the strategic alliance between Nazi Germany and America’s most powerful corporation, Cerruzi, P. (2003). A history of modern computing (2nd Ed.). The MIT Press London England. Computer History Museum (2013). At the Museum, Available from http://www.computerhistory.org/visit/ Accessed on 06/03/2013. Gonzalez, R., and Woods, R. (2009). Digital image processing, (3rd) Pearson Education. Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs, SIMON & SCHUSTER. Markoff, J. (2006). What the dormouse said: how the 60s counterculture shaped the personal computer industry. Norman, J. (2013). From Cave Painting to the Internet, Available from http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?era=1940 Accessed on 05/03/2013. O’Regan, G. (2012). A brief history of computing, Springer. Poornachandra, S., and Sasikala, B. (2010). Digital Signal Processing (2nd Ed.). Tata McGraw Hill. Turner, F. (2006). From Counterculture to cyber culture, The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London. Kopplin, J. (2002). An Illustrated History of Computers Part 3, Available from http://www.computersciencelab.com/ComputerHistory/HistoryPt3.htm Accessed on 05/03/2013. Parker, M., and Dhanani, S. (2013). Digital Video Processing for Engineers: A Foundation for Embedded Systems Design, (1st Ed.). Elsevier Inc. Whitehead, J. (2011). What you need to know about strategy, Capstone Publishing Ltd. Wilson, C. (2005). Computer attack and cyber terrorism: Vulnerabilities and Policy Issues for Congress, Available from http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/computerattack.htm Accessed on 06/03/2013. Read More