The History of the Computer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of the Computer - Term Paper Example The history offers chronological events as per the technological advancements commencing with the first computer to the recent computers that have been utilized progressively in the contemporary world. The technological advancements that transpired during the computer age have substantially influenced social and economic developments through faster undertaking of various tasks in dissimilar sectors. In the computer history, computers have various classifications as per evolution from large size to small size including various contributors to these developments. Classification of computers Computers are classified through utilization of diverse criteria with the classification centering on functionality and other related concepts. Computer classifications can be undertaken with regard to technology utilized, uses, capacity or size, period or computer era, operation principle or data types that they utilize (Raum 2). Technological classification This classification concentrates on the technological skills that allow the computer to perform certain functions. The initial classification was regarded as flesh where humans utilized their bodily parts to carry out computations. Wood later turned into a computing appliance with the initial utilization being in the design of abacus. Various scientific inventors then utilized metals in the development of early machines leading to the utilization of electromagnetic appliances in various machines by Zuse and other persons. Electronic rudiments were utilized in ABC and computers that utilized stored programs. However, this classification never considers developments that transpired recently with the development of fresh electronic devices that have considerably boosted computer advances. Classification by capacity Computers have become categorized in accordance to their capacity with the word demonstrating the amount of work as well as the information processing abilities. The operation of these computers can be established through the quantity of information contain within the memory, internal speed, quantity and variety of peripheral components, as well as, the quantity and variety of software present for utilization within the computer. In the initial period, capacity was established through physical size although this has noticeably changed in the recent time allowing smaller computers to have huge capacities. Presently, computer capacity is ascertained as per the applications that certain computer can contain instead of the quantity of information a computer can process. Under this categorization, microcomputers are considered, to contain the lowest capacity. Their memories were made through the utilization of semiconductors that were contained on silicon chips. The microcomputer was considered digital managed through utilization of stored program that made use of the microprocessor with programmable ROM and RAM. They had 4k-64k storage location and had the ability to contain miniature applicatio ns. Minicomputer was then developed in 1960 owing to the demand for computing appliances that could carry out tasks effectively and economically in comparison to large computers. Minicomputers possessed higher operating speeds and extensive storage capacities judged against microcomputers. In this era, operating systems were created in order to contain multiprogramming as well as virtual storage allowing