Tracing the story of computing from Babylonian counting boards to smartphones, this inspiring textbook/reference provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of computing, together with discussion exercises to stimulate deeper investigation into this fascinating area.

Topics and features:

• Provides chapter introductions, summaries and key topics, as well as review questions and a glossary
• Includes an introduction to analogue and digital computers, and to the foundations of computing
• Examines the contributions of the ancient Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Islamic civilisations to the field of computing
• Covers the first digital computers, and the earliest examples of commercial computers, mainframes and minicomputers
• Describes the invention and early development of the integrated circuit and the microprocessor
• Reviews the emergence of home computers, and the introduction of the IBM personalcomputer
• Discusses the technological revolutions initiated by the creation of the Internet, the invention of the smartphone, and the rise of social media

• Presents a short history of telecommunications, programming languages, operating systems, software engineering, artificial intelligence, and databases This engaging and easy-to-read work serves as an introductory textbook for students of computer science interested in the historical basis of the field. The curious reader will also find the book to be ideal as a self-study primer on the origins of the fundamental theory and early applications of the technology which has now become ubiquitous in modern society.

  Autorentext

  Dr. Gerard O'Regan is a CMMI software process improvement consultant with research interests including software quality and software process improvement, mathematical approaches to software quality, and the history of computing. He is the author of such Springer titles as A Brief History of Computing, Pillars of Computing, Giants of Computing, Mathematics in Computing, Introduction to Software Quality, Introduction to Software Process Improvement, and Mathematical Approaches to Software Quality.

  Inhalt

  What is a Computer?

  Computing in Early Civilizations

  Foundations of Computing

  The First Digital Computers

  The First Commercial Computers

  Early Commercial Computers and the Invention of the Transistor

  The Invention of the Integrated Circuit and the Birth of Silicon Valley

  The IBM System/360

  Minicomputers and Later Mainframes

  The Microprocessor Revolution

  Home Computers

  The IBM Personal Computer

  A Short History of Telecommunications

  The Internet Revolution The Smartphone and Social Media

  History of Programming Languages

  History of Operating Systems

  History of Software Engineering

  History of Artificial Intelligence

  History of Databases