History of Computers
© 2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
Is this a computer?
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dell_Desktop_Computer_in_school_classroom.jpg
How about this?
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
What about this?
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese-abacus.jpg
Or this?
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
Abacus
Is a simple device to aid in calculating.
 This is an Inca Quipu.png1
 And a Roman Abacus2

©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
14th
edition of the Meyers Konversationslexikon 1888
2Reconstruction of a Roman Abacus, made by the RGZ Museum in Mainz, 1977
Abacus
Many countries still use Abacuses in
day- to-day sales calculations
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/todbaker/2305853928
Abacus
Primarily used as a aid for addition and
subtraction
 For more complex operations other tools
are often used, such as slide rules

©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese-abacus.jpg
Slide rule
While the abacus was in use over 4000
years ago, the slide rule is a relatively
modern device.
 William Oughtred invented the slide
rule around 1622 AD

©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
Slide rule
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE

During the 1960s computers became a
resource that engineers could use.

The engineers who designed the SR-71
Blackbird still used slide rules on a daily
basis.
The Blackbird set a coast-to-coast
record time of 67 minutes 54 seconds.
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
Mechanical computers
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_Mechanical_computer_img_1651.jpg
Univac
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diorama_sky/2902656083/
Modern Computer
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dell_Desktop_Computer_in_school_classroom.jpg
Vacuum Tubes
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickames/4081648117/
Transistor
©2010 Akula LLC,
Jeremy R. Hertzberg,
BS CMPE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oskay/2105641530