For: Introduction to Humanities Professor: Trisha Laukaitis

Introduction:  Today's personal computers are drastically different from the massive, bulky machines that were first invented out of World War II–and the difference isn't only in their size. By the 1970s, technology had evolved to the point that individuals could purchase unassembled PCs or "microcomputers" and program them for fun, but these early PCs could not perform many of the useful tasks that today’s computers can. Users could do mathematical calculations and play simple games. Today we have sophisticated games and Facebook and the PC is a major part of our lives. At home and at work, we use our PCs to do almost everything. It is nearly impossible to imagine modern life without them.

Here is some examples of how the PC has evolved of the years… (Size) Past:Present:

The Computer Age: There are Four major eras in the evolution of the PC, first we will start with The Computer Age. I am going to cover some major points from this era in the next few slides. During this era the PC (personal computer) was enormous in size and very expensive and not user friendly nor used but the public.  The Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer and Computer also known as the ENIAC weighed over 30 tons and cost around $500,000.  It was built at the University of Pennsylvania during World War II.

The Computer Age: As you can see in the photo provided the ENIAC was enormous and took up over 2,000 sq. feet of floor space, and had over 6,000 mechanical switches. It took a team of engineers and specialists to run it and was used by the military to perform ballistic calculations.

Postwar Innovations: The second era in the evolution of the PC was The Postwar Innovations. During this era large companies and business and the military started to learn the importance of computers. There were also a few innovations that helped reduce the size of the PC to include the microprocessor and the transistor. In the next few slides we will cover this era.  ENIAC started to prove its major investment was worth the cost to major corporations because it could compute large calculations in 30 seconds which it would take humans at least 12 hours to complete the same problem.

Postwar Innovations: The transistor was introduced in 1948 by Bell Labs its and electronic device that carries electrical currents but was much smaller then the vacuum tube. A decade later Texas Instruments came up with the integrated circuit which took all the electrical parts of the PC and made it into one silicone chip.

Postwar Innovations: The first microprocessor was invented in The microprocessor helped spark the PC revolution. Microprocessors were the size of a thumbnail and was one of the key innovations to help make the PC smaller. The first microprocessor on the market was developed in 1971 by an engineer at Intel named Ted Hoff. (Intel was located in California’s Santa Clara Valley, a place nicknamed “Silicon Valley” because of all the high-tech companies clustered around the Stanford Industrial Park there.) Intel’s first microprocessor, a 1/16-by- 1/8-inch chip called the 4004, had the same computing power as the massive ENIAC.

The Invention of the PC: The third era was the actual Invention of the PC which was born in During this era key innovators and inventors such a Paul Allen and Bill Gates from Harvard University, and famously know Steve Jobs and Stephen Wosniak really kicked off the PC revolution. Also during this time the Apple II was introduced.  As a result of the innovations from the previous eras the PCs are now cheaper and easier to manufacture.  Another benefit from these innovations the first microcomputer was invented in 1974 called the Personal Computer or the PC.  For instance, a company called Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) introduced a mail-order build-it-yourself computer kit called the Altair. Compared to earlier microcomputers, the Altair was a huge success: Thousands of people bought the $400 kit. However, it really did not do much. It had no keyboard and no screen, and its output was just a bank of flashing lights. Users input data by flipping toggle switches.

The Invention of the PC: The Altair was invented in A pair of Harvard graduates Paul Allen and Bill Gates helped develop a basic programming language for the computer. The two took the money they made from this company and started a company called Microsoft which soon became a global empire.

The Invention of the PC: Soon after Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak Invented a computer called Apple I it was more sophisticated then the Altair and had more memory and a cheaper processor. In 1977 Jobs and Wozniak introduced the Apple II which had the first color screen and a keyboard and users were able to save their data on a cassette. Which soon after went from cassettes to floppy disks.

The Invention of the PC: Also to make the Apple II user friendly as possible Apple encouraged programmers to invent applications such as spreadsheets and practical tools not just cater to businesses. To the right is an example of a spreadsheet on the Apple II.

The PC Revolution: The fourth era which leads us to the present and beyond is The PC Revolution. Computers are now in virtually every home and business almost a necessity in everyone’s daily life. During this era the Graphical User Interface was invented also known as “GOOEY” (Desktop, home screen) which made the PC completely user friendly. The computer mouse has now been invented and we now have laptops, Smartphone's, and tablets.

Here is some examples of how the PC has evolved of the years… (video games) Past:Present:

Here is some examples of how the PC has evolved of the years… (Smartphone’s) Past:Present:

Here is some examples of how the PC has evolved of the years… (Tablets) Past:Present:

The Conclusion:  Today's personal computers are drastically different from the massive, bulky machines that were first invented out of World War II–and the difference isn't only in their size. By the 1970s, technology had evolved to the point that individuals could purchase unassembled PCs or "microcomputers" and program them for fun, but these early PCs could not perform many of the useful tasks that today’s computers can. Who would have thought that a giant computer that once filled an entire room now can fit in the palm of your hand. Is also one of the most important things we can own next to a car. The PC has single handedly change the entire world and how we live our lives. Today we have sophisticated games and Facebook and the PC is a major part of our lives. At home and at work, we use our PCs to do almost everything. It is nearly impossible to imagine modern life without them.

Bibliography:  © , A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (2012, July 18). Invention of the PC. Retrieved from Invention of the PC:  ©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.. (2012, July 18). The History of Computers. Retrieved from The History of Computers:  Copyright © The Great Idea Finder All rights reserved.. (2012, July 18). Personal Computer History. Retrieved from Personal Computer History: m  PC History. (2012, July 18). Retrieved from PC- History: 