Chapter 4 3 History of the computer

It is said that the ancestor of the computer is our abacus, and some people say that it is the descendant of gossip.Since the computer itself is secretive, it is not known whether it has begun to find the root.We don't have to be too keen on his personal affairs, but if we want to understand computers, we might as well learn the Book of Changes and gossip first.Because both have common characteristic binary digits. You must be familiar with decimal numbers, otherwise, it will be difficult for you to express some concepts clearly.Some people may say: I don't understand mathematics, but I can also think.Half of this is wrong. You can say that you don’t understand mathematics, but due to the evolution of our human civilization for hundreds of thousands of years, the concept of numbers has evolved into a very complex concept.In essence, these concepts are built on logical structures, and logical structures and mathematics are inseparable.

Because God gave people a pair of hands, with five fingers in each hand.At the beginning of human beings, fingers were the most ready-made counting tool, one by one, the fingers were pulled down until ten.If you don't change the way, there is no way to pull it again.Of course, no one knows how our wise old ancestors overcame this difficulty, but we can guess that no matter what method is used, another ten-finger stroke is one of the only ways to continue counting.Write down the finger count of the last pull, which forms the concept of carry. The gossip in the Book of Changes is based on yin and yang, and it is assumed that yin is zero and yang is one. Tai Chi is the body of the universe, and four images are born from yin and yang, and eight trigrams are born from four images (note that the carry must be two multiplication curtains ); and the sixty-four hexagrams were derived from the eight trigrams, and then derived from the sixty-four hexagrams to four thousand and ninety-six hexagrams.However, because the subtle words and great meanings in it are all-encompassing, it is rare for people to understand the sixty-four hexagrams, and the four thousand and ninety-six hexagrams may not be able to bear the burden of a small human brain.

Coincidentally, the computer is also following this path, and it has been derived from zero and one or two numbers. 4096 is called 4K in computer terminology, which means four thousand data. (Because foreigners are accustomed to using thousands, each unit is called KILO, and thousands of strokes are called MEGA, etc., one-thousandth is called MINI, and one-thousandth is called MICRO. These names are helpful for understanding English. Computers are quite useful) Why is there a binary number after people are used to the decimal number sequence?To put it bluntly, it is worthless!Because binary is the simplest, it's either right or wrong, it's simple.

In 1937, Howard Aiken of Harvard University designed a bulky and bulky machine. Using switches and buttons, a series of simple opening and closing movements can be used to express some information.In 1945, Price of the University of Pennsylvania.Ike uses electronic components and circuits to improve the mechanical control and increase the efficiency of speed.This kind of equipment already has a simple calculation function in the application, that is, to use the resolution of each switch to calculate its value cumulatively.Therefore, it is called a cumulative computer. The well-known IBM, whose full name is International Business Machines Corporation, also launched its first product IBM701 in 1953.Its characteristic is that the vacuum tube is applied to the circuit, which expands the functions of the computer.This vacuum-tube computer has functions not much worse than the watch-type computers you see today, but its volume is astonishingly huge, about four times the size of an ordinary apartment.At the same time, it also lives up to its name and is called the first generation of computers.

In 1959, the transistor replaced the vacuum tube, the volume was reduced by hundreds of times, and the power consumption was also less, so the second-generation computer came out again.At this time, it was IBM's monopoly situation, and they successively launched products such as IBM1401 and IBM7094.In 1965, the single crystal technology condensed hundreds of transistors on a small IC integrated circuit, and the volume was condensed hundreds of times, which was the third generation computer.There are still users of this type, such as IBM360, 370 and so on. So far, IBM is the giant that dominates the computer market. They recruit the best talents and possess the most sophisticated technology.Like the ancient Roman Empire, no earthquake can shake it.

After all, the human brain has its shortcomings, that is, it is prone to make mistakes, and it is only on the way of making mistakes that it is necessary to correct its direction.Of course, we can't do things by being wrong, but being wrong once in a while can do wonders, because no one knows what is really right or really wrong. At this time, an inconspicuous research company INTEL (of course refers to the shadow of IBM at the time, and now the company is well-known), accepted the commission of another company to use the technology of large-scale integrated circuits. Design a computer.The product was made, but due to many factors, the entrusting company was unwilling to accept it all.As a result of the negotiations, INTEL lowered the price and reserved the right to sell the products by itself.

As a result, INTEL's losses are considerable, and the company's internal views on this new product are also mixed.So under constant brainstorming, someone suggested that this large integrated circuit (as big as an eraser with tens of thousands of transistors inside) could be used as a controller for various automatic control systems.There's nothing bad about the idea, but there's nothing great about it either, because the market is there and no one knows. This was originally a mistake, due to the estimation of the original entrusting company and the design method of INTEL.Without this error, it is likely that the history of computing would have gone in a different direction.In fact, at that time, many companies with financial resources and technology had already invested huge sums of money in the research and improvement of large-scale computers and mini-computers.

At the same time, according to the optimistic predictions of all the experts at that time, they were all optimistic about the mini computer (don't be confused by its name, in fact it is just smaller than the IBM system).As a result, IBM's policy in the next few years will be obsessed with keeping the mainframe computer unchanged, and it has missed a great opportunity in vain.Finally, the market share fell from 75% to 35% today. A miracle happened, because the concept of computer was very common at that time, and many people were studying how to design a small and light computer, but they could not solve the most important control problem.This small and large integrated circuit is immediately applied to the central control CPU, which determines the output and input of signals and storage applications.As a result, small computers were born, and the cost was greatly reduced.

Factories, companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, and schools and families all have the ability to purchase small computers, and the market is no longer occupied by IBM.The functions of the computer are not limited to data processing, and are widely used in automatic control, graphics application, sound and light transmission, etc.Therefore, it is reasonable for the computer to be called a computer by the Chinese. Even Americans are discussing whether this new type of product should continue to use the name of the computer? Some people compare the birth of this technology to the second industrial revolution. Whether it is true or not is up to historians, but its impact is deep and huge, far beyond the comparison of the early generations of computers.In addition, some people refer to this generation of computers as the fourth generation of computers.

Let's call it a computer!Strictly speaking, computer classification is difficult.Various brands and models have their own characteristics and functions, but in order to be different from the computers that were originally fixed in a specific space, they can be moved to smaller models.Has been named mini (MINI, one thousandth) computer, such as IBM's third-generation product 1130 and so on.Therefore, newer and smaller computers are downgraded to micro (MICRO, one-thousandth) computers. The general standard now is that the so-called microcomputer mostly uses floppy disks and a 64K main memory. (The mini type uses a hard disk, 256K main memory) But smaller computers also appear, and without a name, they are called home computers, personal computers, and even palm computers.Of course, one day, you will be able to wear a watch computer, and the function of this small watch computer may be much more powerful than today's IBM370!