History of Computers and the Internet

Timeline of the History of Computers and the Internet

- Charles Babbage: Designed the Difference Engine & Analytical Engine. Babbage's machines were among the first mechanical computers, although they were not actually completed, largely because of funding problems and personality issues. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_babbage)

The Difference Engine

- Ada Lovelace: Translated an Italian memoir on Babbage's Analytical Engine. Lovelace is now widely credited with being the first computer programmer.








Ada Lovelace

- Alan Turing: Created first working computer 'The Bombe' which broke secret German 'Enigma' codes in the War.

The Bombe

- IBM's 701 EDPM: The first commercially successful general-purpose computer was produced in 1953.It was created as a 'defense calculator' to aid in the United Nations' policing of Korea.(http://inventors.about.com/od/computersandinternet/a/IBM701.htm)

The 701 EDPM

- Xerox PARC: In early 1970s developed the mouse, graphical user interface (GUI) and pull-down menus. First PC was created in 1975.

Company Logo

- Bill Gates: It all began for him when he contacted creators of the new microcomputer, MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems)offering to demonstrate an implentation of the BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)for the system. He dropped out of Harvard and created the company Microsoft. (Wikipedia)

The early days for Bill Gates and Microsoft









- Apple: Created around the same time. Comprised of two computer nerds Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Sold first Apple computer for $666.60. By 1979 both were rich enough to never have to work again





Original Apple computer










- IBM & Microsoft: In 1981, a contract between IBM and Microsoft was made to develop languages and a operating system known as Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS), which later went on to become Windows. And so begun the competition between Microsoft and Apple.
(http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm)










Microsoft Windows

- Steve Jobs: After a lot of disputes with the president of Apple, John Scully, Steve Jobs resigned in 1985. Microsoft continued to go strength to strength, where as Apple's popularity slid more and more. It wasn't until Steve Jobs return in 1998, which in turn resurrected Apple.
(http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=57)









Steve Jobs & Apple Reunited










- Linus Torvalds: Created his own operating system GNU/Linux. GNU/Linux was made available for free and spread quickly across the world as an alternative to the other expensive operating systems (such as Windows, MacOS and Unix).







Mascot of GNU/Linux