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In the second part of the book “Computers: The Life Story of a Technology,” it goes more in depth of how computer eventually evolve into the modern day super computer. It all started with the third generation computers: microprocessors. Jack S. Kilby and Robert Noyce’s combined effort invented the first transistor. Commercial industries began to appreciate the value of integrated circuits when Kilby created the first electronic calculator using microchips in 1967.  Instead of having huge vacuum tubes and transistors, he invented the first hand held calculator with microchips.

After the invention of the handheld calculator, technology was growing so fast that every eighteen months microprocessors and memory chips would double in power. Due to the small size in microprocessors, mini computers were soon releasing into the market. Although they were not as powerful as what had became known as mainframes, they were usually used for small number of tasks, rather than as a general-purpose business data process computer.

Besides the birth of mini computers, the software industry bloomed as well. IBM was copying software created by other people, therefore forcing them to patent software. Also user agreements were created to protect users from giving software to friends and families. There would be a three year contract lease and renew required for each user. But with all software created, BASIC was one of the most important software. It was basically a way to tell the computer to operate if certain scenario happened. The commands such as PRINT, NEXT, GOTO, READ, and IF THEN showed the computer what to do in certain situations.

With all the new invention and technology improving, the first personal computer has finally arrived, ALTAIR 8800. The Altair 8800 microcomputer was based on the 8-bit Intel 8080 microprocessor and contained only 256 bytes of memory. Shortly after the first personal computer was invented, Microsoft was programmed. Using BASIC, Microsoft was able to link programs together creating a foundation for computers. Apple was also created around the same time, being the competitor of Microsoft. IBM took Microsoft and created its first personal computer. Shortly, there were clones of IBM in the market. PC became widely used in the world. Software and games were created for personal uses at home, not just at work anymore.

With the technology advancing, computers were soon connected together through network such as telephones. Network allowed people to communicate in an instant from telephone ports, and eventually cable. Wireless connections were also made. The Internet was made into the world wide connection. Websites such as .com, .net, .edu, .gov, .mil, and .org were domains to many websites. Eventually computers were the main component of the everyday life. Everybody now has a computer. Computers were used for everything, even to blog for this class.

page 1-83

In the first reading assignment from “Computers: The Life Story of a Technology,” there were many links to early invention that help develop technologies today. Without the early invention, many of the things will not exist today. The beginning of the reading introduced a lot of the earlier discoveries which help improve a lot of the new inventions; mathematics being one of the most important inventions.  With Roman numerical numbers invented and spread around the world, date and time were easily recorded for documentary purposes. Although mathematics is one of the simplest operation, it is the root to many things.

John Vincent Atanasoff, was frustrated with calculating long mathematics equation by hands, therefore he decided to invent a computer to do so. Even old calculators would take weeks to solve a long equation. With funding from various corporations, John was able to invent the first computer in which he was showered with awards after the 1970s.

Although the first computer was very convenient, there were some flaws to it: excess heat, bulky size, and penchant for failure.  John Bardeen and Walter H. Brattain, from Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, invented the point-contact transistor, made out of germanium, a semiconductor material, in 1947. A transistor is basically a smaller and more efficient version of the first computer.

From the second generation computer comes the third, integrated circuits, was the new and improved microprocessors. The only problem with these was that they were very small in size; therefore it was very difficult for people to wire them with magnifying glasses.  But with these new microprocessors built, computers slowly became a necessity in the every day’s life.  Eventually super computers were invented, which were able to process many tasks at once without overloading. The software industry bloomed fast, and everybody started to adapt to the life with computers.

Internet Usage

Hi my name is Jeffrey, I am currently a senior at Rutgers University. Over the past 2 to 3 days, I have found myself going on the same websites. Generally google, youtube, sakai, my.rutgers, facebook, and some forums that i check religiously. Sakai and My.Rutgers are sites that I check every day because I have assignments or readings to do. I also check my email everyday because that is my main source of communication to the outside world whom does not have my cell phone number. Facebook is definitely the number 1 website which I log on to everyday just to waste time. Nobody can truly say, I don’t use facebook, because if you don’t have facebook, you are basically an outcast in society and disconnected from the world. Everybody is into the facebook scene in college, stalking people, which is kind of weird but I'm pretty sure everybody is doing it haha. Facebook has become one of the biggest social network page on the internet. It is amazing how a website can become the main source of socializing in just a couple of years. I go on forums to check on new technologies coming out for music and such. People sign on religiously like me, to make sure that they have the most advance piece of equipment. Since technology is changing so fast, it is impossible to keep up to date. Even computer shopping has become a hassle for me since computers upgrade every 6 months or so. Technology has advanced so much in the past few years. I am really curious to see what will be the new hype.