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Computer Histories – Part 1 : Traditional Counting Device and Mechanical Calculator

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At this time computer and its peripheral have entered every life aspect and job. Current computer haves ability that more than just mathematic calculation usual. For example is computer system in supermarket cashier that can read goods code, telephone exchange that handle millions of call and communication, computer network and internet that connect many places in the world.

However data processing device since era were ancient till now can be classify into 4 big groups.

  1. manual equipments: very simple data processing equipment, and primary factor in tool usage is use human hand-power
  2. mechanical equipments: mechanical equipments that moved manually by hand
  3. mechanical equipments electronic: mechanical equipments that moved automatically by electronic motor
  4. electronic equipments: equipments that working fully electronically

This article will give picture about computer history from time to time, especially data processing device at group 2, 3, and 4. Computer classification based on generation also will be discussed completelly in this article.

Abacus, that emerged around 5000 years ago in small Asia and have been used in some place until now, can be considered as beginning of computation machine. This tool enables its user to conduct calculation uses cereal shifts that arranged at a rack. Merchantmen in that period use abacus to count/ calculate trading transaction. Along with the appearance of pencil and paper, especially in European, abacus lose its popularity.

For almost 12nd century, emerge other invention in the case of computation machine. In 1642, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), which at that moment have an age 18 years olds, find what he mentions as the numerical wheel calculator to help its father conducts tax calculation. This brass box called pascaline, use eight jagged cogwheels to sum number till eight digits. This tool is number calculator. This tool weakness is limited to conduct addition. In 1694, a Dutch mathematician and philosopher, Gottfred Wilhem von Leibniz (1646-1716) repair pascaline by make machine that can multiply. Same as its predecessor, this mechanical tool works by using jag wheels. By study note and pictures that made by Pascal, Leibniz can complete its tool. Then in 1820, mechanical calculator starts popular. Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar finds machine that can conduct four arithmetic functions elementary. Colmar mechanical calculator, arithometer, present more practical approach in calculation because can conduct addition, reduction, multiplication, and division. With its ability, arithometer used till a period of First World War.

Together with Pascal and Leibniz, Colmar helps develop computation mechanical era. Beginning of computer that actually formed by a English mathematics professor, Charles Babbage (1791-1871). In 1812, Babbage concerned about nature compatibility between machine mechanic and mathematics: jolly good clockwork in doing duty in common many times without mistake; Mathematics requires simple repeatation from a steps. The problem then expands till places machine mechanic to answer mechanical need. Babbage’s first effort to solve this problem emerged in 1822 when he propose a machine to conduct equation calculation differential. The machine named Differential Engine. With steam power, the machine can keep program and can conduct calculation deliverer course and print the result automatically. After work with Differential Engine during ten years, Babbage suddenly inspired to start make computer general-purpose that first, so-called analytical engine. Babbage’s assistant, Augusta Ada King (1815-1842) have key position in this machine making. She helps revise plan, searching financing from England government, and communicate the specification of analytical engine to public. In other hand, Augusta’s good understanding about this machine enable it makes instruction for entered into machine and also make her becomes the first woman programmer. In 1980, Federal Department of America Defence names a language programming ADA as respect to her.

Babbage’s steam engine, although never finish conducted, show very primitive if compared to present day standard. However, the tool is depict element elementary of a modern computer and also express an important concept. Consist of around 50.000 components, elementary design from analytical engine use perforation cards containing operation instruction for the machine.

At 1889, Herman Hollerith (1860-1929) also apply punched card principle to conduct computation. Its first job is to finds quicker way to conduct calculation for Bureau of American Census. Previous census that conducted in 1880 need seven year to finish calculation. With growing of population, the bureau predict that needed ten years to finish census calculation.

Hollerith uses punched card to enter census data which then processed by that tool mechanically. A card can keep till 80 variables. With the tool, census result can be finished during six week. Besides have advantage in the field of speed, the card used as data depositor media. Level of calculation mistake also can be depressed drastically. Hollerith later develop the tool and sell to wide society. He founds Tabulating Machine Company in 1896 which later become Internasional Business Machine (1924) after experience of several times merger. Other company like Remington Rand and Burroghs also produce tool punched card reader for business. Punched card is used by business community and government for processing data until 1960.

In next period, some engineers make new other discovery. Vannevar Bush (1890- 1974) make a calculator to finish differential equation in 1931. The machine can finish complex differential equation which during the time assumed complicated by academic communities. The machine is very big and heavy because hundreds of jag and axis that required to conduct calculation. In 1903, John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry tries make electrical computer that apply algebra boolean at circuit electrical. This approach is relied on George Boole (1815-1864) work result as the shape of binary system algebra, which state that every mathematic equation can be expressed as correctness or wrong. By apply true false condition into electrics circuit in the form of linked-broken, Atanasoff and Berry makes electrical computer first in 1940. Nevertheless their project are desisted because lose fund sources.


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