In 1940s, computers were built by Howard Aiken at Harward University, John von Neumann at Princeton University, and others. The computers used relays or vacuum tubes, the former notoriously unreliable, the latter plagued with power consumption and heat generation. The computers were used to perform specialized calculations, which were initially programmed, or, rather, wired into the computer using plug boards. Plug boards were later replaced by punch cards or paper tapes. There was no notion of an operating system.
Hardware | Year | Software |
---|---|---|
Mark I or Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator - a computer developed by IBM and Harward University, uses relays, program stored on paper tapes, a multiplication operation takes 6 seconds, a division operation takes 12 seconds. | 1944 | Â |
Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC) - a computer developed by University of Pennsylvania, uses vacuum tubes, program stored on plug boards, a division operation takes 25 miliseconds. | 1946 | Â |
Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator - a computer developed by IBM, uses relays and vacuum tubes, program stored on paper tape and in internal memory, a multiplication operation takes 20 miliseconds, a division operation takes 33 miliseconds. | 1948 | Â |
Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) - a computer developed by University of Cambridge, uses vacuum tubes, program stored on paper tape and in internal memory, a multiplication operation takes 4.5 miliseconds, a division operation takes 200 miliseconds. | 1949 | Â |
Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) - a computer developed by University of Pennsylvania, uses vacuum tubes, program stored on magnetic wires and in internal memory, multiplication and division operations take 3 miliseconds. | 1951 | Â |
References.Â
Weik M. H.: The ENIAC Story. http://ftp.arl.mil/~mike/comphist/eniac-story.html
The Columbia University Computing History Website. http://www.columbia.edu/acis/history
The Manchester University Computing History Website. http://www.computer50.org
The EDSAC Website. http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/UoCCL/misc/EDSAC99