The Electronic Computer

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

century. But it was only in the 1904s, when electronics was applied to the task of automatic computing, that fast, reliable computers became possible. Early computers were used mainly for scientific and technical calculations. In the 1950s, businesses, universities and government began using computers to store and process such nonmathematical data as orders, invoices, and personnel records. The use of computers for business data processing expanded enormously in the 1960s and has continued to increase at a rapid path ever since.
The computers of the 1940s to 1960s were complex, expansive machines that were practical only for organizations such as businesses and universities. Individuals could use a computer only by virtue of being associated with an organization that owned one. And in most cases the persons use of the computer was strictly controlled. During this period, computers provided ever-increasing benefits for organizations. However, few individuals were able to use a ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

a computer cannot carry out a task until we have provided it with an appropriate program. We use the term hardware for the computing machinery itself and the term software for the programs that control it. The combination of hardware and software is known as a computer system.

Before the advent of modern high technology, technical aids were available for only the simplest forms of information processing. The technologies of writing and printing preserved and distributed information. Clockwork mechanisms kept track of times, dates, and the motions of astronomical bodies. Simple mechanical devices helped diplomats and spies to encipher and decipher secret messages. Clockwork-driven ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: