Did you know that the computer traces its roots back to the primitive counting machine, the abacus? Throughout the five thousand years separating the invention of the abacus and modern times, computers have evolved and developed into the machines that can be found in millions of households, schools, libraries, and businesses! We have broken up the history of the computer into seven major eras. First, there are the early computing machines, then the first, second, third, and fourth generation computers, the recent innovations, and finally, our predictions of what new technology the future will hold! Come and explore the history and future of computers!
This era in the computer history include machines ranging from the early abacus to a census tabulator to mechanical calculators!
The first generation computers include the very first computers to be built. These computers were very big, slow, and bulky, and include machines such as the Colossus and the ENIAC.
Second generation computers are slightly more complex than their predecessors, the first generation computers. They have many of the same components as modern computers!
The third generation computers are known for their useage of the integrated circuit, a tiny silicon chip that contains millions of transistors. These lie at the very heart of 21st century computers!
Fourth generation computers are computers that lead up to the present. These include the computers that we use everyday, such as Apple's macintosh, IBM or Dell's personal computer, and Sun Microsystem's workstation.
Innovative minds are constantly coming up with new ideas and new technology to make easier our everyday lives. This section includes some of the most recent inventions in the computer world, such as the Intel Pentium 4, Apple's iBook, and some of the new handheld computers!
Have you ever wondered what kind of world our children and grandchildren will live in? Will there be robots to clean the house for us, to do the dishes and the laundry for us? Here are our predictions for the future!
