History of Modern Computation

Programming Club

The following timeline provides information about notable developments in modern computing. Whenever new innovations are made that will assist programmers in understanding the mechanics of programming, they should be added here.

2700 BC+	The Abacus is produced, and uses similar techniques for arithmetic operations as modern computers.
1623	Wilhelm Schickard invented the first mechanical calculating machine
1642	Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, which was the world's first automatic calculating machine. It could perform simple addition and subtraction.
1671	Gottfried von Leibniz invented the Step Reckoner, a device which, as well as performing additions and subtractions, could multiply, divide, and evaluate square roots by series of stepped additions.
1822	Charles Babbage introduces the difference engine
1932	Alan Turing invented the Turing Machine
1936	Konrad Zuse invented the Z1 - The world's first programmable computational device.
1937	George Stibitz invents the Model K - The first to use binary circuits to perform arithmetic operations.
1946	ENIAC, the first modern computer, was completed. The name "ENIAC" stands for "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer", and was built in Philadelphia at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Pennsylvania.
1949	The Mark III incorporated electronic components, and was one of the first to do so; Data and instructions were stored on magnetic drums with a capacity of 4350 sixteen-bit words and roughly 4000 instructions.