A Revolution Begun AN EXPLORATION OF PAUL E. CERUZZI S COMPUTING: A CONCISE HISTORY Created by Derick Lock
A Revolution Begun An exploration of Paul Ceruzi s Computing: A Concise History German civil engineer Konrad Zuse stands next to a replica of his 1938 Z1 ; considered to be the world s first operating computer.
A Revolution Begun Book Abstract WHERE TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK Amazon.com Barnes & Noble ibookstore Powells.com PUBLISHER INFORMATION Computing: A Concise History Paul E. Ceruzzi Series: MIT Press Essential Knowledge Computing: A Concise History, is a book written by the well known computer Paperback: 216 pages scientist and historian, Paul E. Ceruzzi. Covering nearly one hundred years of Publisher: The MIT Press (June 15, 2012) history, Computing: A Concise History explores and details the technologies that Language: English would inspire great minds who changed the world, creating the revolutionary ISBN-10: 0262517671 computers technologies we have today. ISBN-13: 978-0262517676 2
A Revolution Begun About the Author PAUL E. CERUZZI Paul Ceruzzi, a well know authority on computing technology, is the current curator of aerospace electronics and computing at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum where he researches, publishes writings, creating exhibits and collects artifacts on computing and their control of air and space flight. Ceruzzi attended Yale University and the University of Kansas where he received his PhD in American Studies in 1981. He has co-written seven publications on the subject of computing technology including... Computing, a Concise History (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2012) A History of Modern Computing (MIT Press, 1998). Reckoners: The Prehistory of The Digital Computer (Greenwood Press, 1983). See all of Ceruzzi s publications here... Visit Ceruzzi s Website Source: The Smithsonian 3
A Revolution Begun A Colossus Mark 2 computer being operated by Dorothy Du Boisson (left) and Elsie Booker. The slanted control panel on the left was used to set the "pin" (or "cam") patterns of the Lorenz. The "bedstead" paper tape transport is on the right. (source)
Alan Turing Alan Mathison Turing was an English mathematician, logician, cryptanalysis and computer scientist. Turing was key player in developing the code breaking logic behind bombe, a computer machine that could decipher the German Enigma code during WW II. His methods would inspire many code-breaking technologies such as Colossus. Watch: Breaking the Code (BBC 1997) Watch: Operating the Bombe (Google 2013) Alan Mathison Turing Mathematician and Computer Scientist Born: June 1912 Died: June 1954 Best known for: Breaking the Enigma code 5
Colossus Colossus is widely considered to be the first all electric, programmable computer and was used during WWII to help decipher the Lorenz cipher used by the German axis powers. Developed by Tommy Flowers, Colossus Mark 1 was unveiled in December of 1943 and fully installed at the British Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park by February of 1944 Watch: Colossus: Creating a Giant (Google 2013) A Colossus Mark 2 computer being operated by Dorothy Du Boisson (left) and Elsie Booker. What: First all electric, programmable computer Developer: Tommy Flowers Used for: Codebreaking in WWII Located at: Destroyed. Replica at Bletchley Park, England 6
Teletype The Teletype Corporation (a subsidiary of the Western Electric Company), was the first developer of the teletypewriter a device used to relay text information, such as newswire services, across vast distances via telephone wires. Succeeding the telegraph and pre-cursing the fax-machine and email, the teletypewriter was an important means of communication across vast distances and a critical machine component of WWII. Today, few teletypewriters are in use today as most have been replaced by all-digital methods. Watch: How a Teletype Works Watch: A Teletype in Action Founded: 1928 Headquarters: Chicago, IL Best Known For: Teletypewriter 7
Apple Computer Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computer Inc.) is a leading producer of consumer electronics, computer software, operating systems and hardware. Founded on April Fools Day in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in the garage of Jobs family home in Palo Alto, CA, Apple has grown to become one of the most influential and most valuable companies of the 21st century, producing revolutionary products such as the Macintosh, ipod, itunes and iphone. Watch: Think Different (Apple 1997) Watch: Steve Jobs Introduces iphone Founded: 1976 Key Players: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak Headquarters: Cupertino, CA Best Known For: Macintosh 8
Microsoft Microsoft is a global technology company that is best known for is Windows line of operating systems. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft began developing BASIC programming languages for early personal computers before developing a partnership with computer giant IBM to create one of the first operating systems, MSDOS. Their company would continue to develop computer software and operating systems such as Office and Windows, growing to become the world s largest software developer and one of the most valuable companies in the world. Watch: Bill Gates (Biography 1998) Founded: 1975 Key Players: Bill Gates and Paul Allen Headquarters: Redmond, WA Best Known For: Microsoft Window OS 9
MS-DOS MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) was a command-line style disk operating system designed and sold by Microsoft from 1981 until being discontinued in 2000. Packaged with most IBM computers at the time, MS-DOS was a critical step in Microsoft s dominance of the late 1980s and 1990s technology market. MS-DOS and it s iterations would quickly be replaced in favor of operating systems like Windows 95, which featured a much more user-friendly GUI (graphical user interface). Watch: MS-DOS 5 Promo Video Watch: MS-DOS in Action Invented : 1981 What: Easy to use disk operating system Key Players: Microsoft 10
BASIC BASIC (Beginner s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a programming language aimed at providing a simplistic means for the average person to program their computers (a task that was often only able to be done my mathematicians and computer scientists). Originally designed by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz in 1964, BASIC rose to popularity when it began to ship with the first personal computers such as the Apple II. Among the first pioneers of the BASIC software was Microsoft s Bill Gates and Paul Allen who developed BASIC software for computer companies such as IBM and even Apple (under the name AppleSoft BASIC). Watch: AppleSoft BASIC Watch: Bill Gates talks about BASIC Invented : 1964 What: Easy to learn programming language Key Players: Apple, Microsoft, IBM etc. 11
Xerox PARC Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) is a subsidiary company of the Xerox Corporation dedicated to technological research and development. Founded in 1970 Xerox PARC produced many innovative and keystone technologies such as laser printing, Ethernet and most importantly the graphical user interface (GUI). PARC is credited (albeit not commonly) with creating the first computer graphical interface. This new interface inspired Apple s Steve Jobs to pursue bringing the GUI to the Apple Lisa, the first affordable personal computer with a graphical interface. Watch: Xerox Alto Commercial (1979) Founded: 1970 Headquarters: Palo Alto, CA Best Known For: Xerox Alto 12
Intel Intel Corperation is one of the world s leading semiconductor and microchip producers in the world based in Santa Clara, California. Founded in 1968 by Andy Grove, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore (pictured left) Intel is best know for its line of consumer microprocessors, such as the Pentium and Core series, as well as it s importance in the rise of the personal computer and Silicon Valley. Watch: The Making of an Intel Microprocessor Founded: 1968 Current CEO: Brain Krzanich Best Known For: Computer Microprocessors 13
Robert Noyce Robert Noyce was the co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and the Intel Corporation in 1968. Noyce is widely considered to be the father of the microchip that would help spark and make the personal computer a common household appliance. Noyce passed away in 1990 at the age of 62, living long enough to see the outcome of his vision. Watch: Noyce Goes to Silicon Valley (PBS 2013) Robert Noyce Co-Founder of Intel Born: December 1927 Died: June 1990 Best known for: Father of the Microchip Watch the full documentary here... 14
A Revolution Begun Reader Reflection I realize more than ever that the computer is much more than a device that just came into being. To me, the computer is a living evolution and representation of human ingenuity and desire...
A Revolution Begun Reader Reflection ABOUT THE READER/EBOOK AUTHOR The computer age is one that has sparked a technological renaissance that has spanned nearly a century. Innovation, imagination and a reverent determination have launched our society to new heights. Reflecting on Paul Ceruzzi s book Computing: a Concise History, I realize more than ever that the computer is much more than a device that just came into being. To me, the computer is a living evolution and representation of human ingenuity and /derick.r.lock desire. Perhaps one of the most interesting things I realized while reading this book was seeing the evolution of technology over decades of war, peace, societal instability and stability. Technology co-evolved. For example in WWII, the allies and the axis powers were battling @dericklock The creator of this site is Derick Lock, a Junior in the CMDC (Creative Media and Digital Culture) Program at Washington State University Vancouver. His love of innovative technology fused with beautiful design is what sparked him to pursue a degree in this field and hopes that I will lead him to live a successful life after obtaining a degree. This book is a project for DTC 375 Language, Texts and Technology and is part of a site dedicated to summarizing the four required texts, breaking them down to an understandable level and relating them to the site's theme of Decoding the Digital Future. both on the physical front and digital front. Secret communication, code breaking and more added a new layer of complexity to the already complex game of war. Allen Turing, an English mathematician, cryptanalyst and computer scientist, sought to take the complexities our of the code draped secrecy of the axis powers by developing code breaking technology that would aide the allied powers and lead them to succeed over the axis powers. Human ingenuity fueled by trying times sparked a revolution that opened the world s eyes to the possibilities that computer technologies could provide. The once war disheveled world was soon racing at a neck-breaking pace to innovate the next great thing. Soon we would achieve what was once impossible; putting a man on the moon, developing lifesaving technologies such as the pacemaker and, most importantly, shrinking and connecting a once disconnected world. 16
Project Notes: Images and Videos graciously provided by Google and their related sources. Ceruzzi, Paul E. Computing: A Concise History. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2012. Print. Created using ibook Author in 2013 on a Core i7 imac 17