Timeline of Computer Science

Introduction

Computer science is a dynamic field with a rich history of innovation. This timeline outlines significant milestones shaping the development of computing from its earliest theoretical concepts to the modern digital age.

Pre-Electronic Era

  • c. 3000 BC: The abacus, an early counting tool, emerges in Mesopotamia.
  • 1640s: Blaise Pascal invents the Pascaline, a mechanical calculator.
  • 1801: Joseph Marie Jacquard develops the Jacquard Loom, using punched cards to automate textile pattern weaving.
  • 1830s: Charles Babbage designs the Analytical Engine, a programmable mechanical computer (though never fully built). Ada Lovelace writes the first algorithm intended for this machine.

The Birth of Electronic Computers

  • 1936: Alan Turing publishes "On Computable Numbers," laying the theoretical foundation for modern computers.
  • 1937: John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry begin constructing the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), one of the first electronic digital computers.
  • 1941: Konrad Zuse completes the Z3, a programmable electromechanical computer.
  • 1943: Colossus, a British computer designed for code-breaking, becomes operational.
  • 1946: The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled.

Emergence of Stored-Program Computers & Transistors

  • 1947: John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley invent the transistor, revolutionizing computer hardware.
  • 1949: The Manchester Mark I, one of the earliest stored-program computers, executes its first program.
  • 1951: UNIVAC I, the first commercially produced computer in the US, is delivered to the Census Bureau.
  • 1953: IBM introduces the IBM 701, its first commercial scientific computer.

The Rise of Programming Languages and Operating Systems

  • 1957: FORTRAN, the first widely used high-level programming language, is developed.
  • 1959: COBOL is created as a standardized language for business applications.
  • 1962: The first graphical computer game, Spacewar!, is developed at MIT.
  • 1964: The BASIC programming language is designed, making programming accessible to beginners.
  • 1964: Researchers at Bell Labs begin developing the UNIX operating system.

Microcomputer Revolution and the Internet

  • 1971: Intel releases the 4004, the first commercial microprocessor.
  • 1974: The Altair 8800 sparks the microcomputer revolution.
  • 1976: Apple Computer is founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
  • 1981: IBM introduces the IBM PC, which sets a standard for the personal computer industry.
  • 1984: Apple introduces the Macintosh computer, popularizing the graphical user interface (GUI).
  • 1969: ARPANET, a precursor to the modern internet, is established.

The World Wide Web and Beyond

  • 1989: Tim Berners-Lee proposes the World Wide Web project at CERN.
  • 1993: The Mosaic web browser popularizes the World Wide Web.
  • 1998: Google is founded, transforming how we search for information.
  • 2000s: Growth of personal computing, mobile devices, and cloud computing
  • 2010s: Development of artificial intelligence and machine learning reshapes technology.

Important Notes

  • This is a selective timeline; many other advancements have contributed to the field of computer science.
  • The history of computing is intertwined with ongoing research in mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering.