Van Lee3/8/99 Why were computers invented? Why were computers invented? Many people have asked themselves this very question. Why do you think computers were invented? I think they were invented for many different purposes. During this report I am going to discuss three sub-topics. The first sub-topic I am going to discuss is Who invented the early computers? In that section I am going to discuss who invented some of the early computers and what the name of the computers were. The second sub-topic is How have some computers developed of the years? In this unit I am going to discuss some of the technological advances computers have made and talk about peripherals. In the third section I am going to discuss The effects on society. I will talk how about how people thought of computers and how they help people. During this report on computers I plan to inform and educate anyone and everyone who reads it. I would hope this report expands their knowledge of computers with their history and uses. A lot of people unfortunately have no access to computers. I personally do not think I could live with out my computer. I think they should have a program where they take everybody s old computers and give them to people that do not have a computer. I think if they did this it would help out a lot of people out. Even if they computers were real junky it is still be better than nothing is. Even if some people have already junked their old computer they can donate some money. I think if some one buys a computer some of the proceeds sure go to help the homeless. Everyone thought that the Colossus and the ENIAC was the first electronic computer. The ENIAC is built in 1945 in the United States and the Colossus being built in England in 1943. But in fact the first electronic computer was invented by John V. Atanasoff. The name of this computer was the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer). Atanasoff was an American Theoretical Physicist at Iowa State College. Atanasoff assembled two small-scale computers. The first was the central computing apparatus that was the prototype for the second larger computer. The ABC received its name from Atanasoff and his assistant, Clifford E. Berry who worked with him for a short time. The prototype was assembled in several months. The prototype was assembled for the reason of testing two theories: one, capacities to store data in binary form: second to perform addition and subtraction. Atanasoff and Berry halted construction before the completion of the computer was completed. Completed in 1943 was the second electronic computer was the Colossus. The Colossus was assembled by Alan Turing. The purpose of the Colossus was to determine top secret codes. It was assembled at a government research center in Great Britain. The Colossus contained around 1,500 vacuum tubes. Since the Colossus was used to determine top secret codes it played a major role in World War II. The ENIAC, invented by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, was the second electronic computer. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was completed in 1946. The assembly itself took about four years. The U.S. Army spent over $500,000 to develop the computer. Today you could be a whole lot of computers more advanced that the ENIAC ever was. It was assemble to determine the trajectory for firing mortars. As someone I know once put it to help out the dumb privates . This also played an important role in World War II.

Computers have developed a whole lot since the ENIAC, ABC, and the Colossus. Computers today can do what those computers could do and more. With the years there have been incredible technological advances. Sometimes I wonder how I would have lived without a computer back in the day. Electronic computers back then would take up a whole room and were very expensive. So not many people had one just lying around. If you did you had a lot of space and a lot of money. Computers today have more peripherals than older computers did. As you know peripherals are anything that connects to the motherboard. There are such peripherals as the ISA (Industry Standard Architect), PCI (Peripheral Component Interface), AGP (Advanced Graphics Port), CPU (Central Processing Unit). These are just a few as a sample. Trust me there are many, many more. Operating Systems have also developed a lot. Operating systems now are quicker, more efficient, have better graphics and can do a whole lot of things. I think right now the most used OS (Operating System) would have to be Microsoft s Windows 95. The newest OS would have to be Microsoft s Windows 98. Soon there is supposed to be a new OS called Windows 99. As far as I am concerned Windows makes things a whole lot easier. I think one of the most known technological advances would have to be the Pentium Processor. I think everyone has heard of Intel s Pentium Processor. First there was the Pentium I. It came in various speeds. After that there came the Pentium I with MMX (Multimedia Expansion) which made graphics better. Then the was the esteemed Pentium II. This already had MMX. This processor goes all the way up to 400 MHz. Now there is the almighty Pentium III. This one the most anticipated things Intel has have came out with it is also the latest thing they have come out with. Computers have had very big effects on society. The have help to educate a whole lot of people. The are a whole lot easier to learn from than a teacher. Not to mention they are also a whole lot more fun than a teacher. But there are some exceptions. You can find programs to help to educate people. Computers have can in real handy for teaching students the basics of math, reading and so forth. At Randolph-Henry for every three students there is one computer. I personally prefer a computer. But that is just my opinion. Some teachers I like some teachers I don t. One really good thing about computers over teachers is computers do not have an attitude. An attitude is good but to a certain extent. In some states they have found computers cheaper than some teachers. Back when computers where invented I wonder what people thought when they saw a computer. I bet they did not know what to say. I would not have that is for sure. Just to see that gigantic computer sitting there. I would have probably fainted to see something like that. Back in the day all people had were typewriters to write with besides using they re hands that is. So when the computers with word processors came along a lot of people were most likely overjoyed. I know I would have been. The word processor made things easier on a lot of people who had to do a lot of typing. Some word processors like the one I am using now automatically corrects errors.