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Chronology of the History of Computing

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This chronology has 42 chapters divided into 4 sections. Each chapter starts with the year as indicated at the right-hand side.
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Periods in the History of Computing

Pre Historic Era

300.000BC - 1619AD


cunei writing on clay tablet

Clay tablet engraved with with cuneiform

Pre Historic Era starts at 300.000 BC
The prehistory in computing is characterized by simple methods of numbering, the invention of numerical systems and the birth of mathematics and calculus.
It will take hundreds of years before the concept of the 0 is introduced in the entire world

 

300BC 469 1310

Antiquity

1620 - 1885

schikard calculator
Schickard calculator

Antiquity starts at 1620 AD
The first aids to calculate are being constructed, no intricate machinery that resembles a computer. But logarithm and binary logic is developed

 

1620 1672 1773 1830 1846

Pre Industrial era

1886 - 1946

difference_engine
Difference engine Babbage

pascaline
pascaline

Pre Industrial era starts at 1886
In this era the first computing machines are constructed, the first fully functional mechanical calculators are put on the market.
The concept of computers is born but are fully mechanical

 

1886 1900 1927 1938 1940 1944

Industrial era

1947 - 2000...

ibm system 360
IBM 360 system

 

Commodore 64
Commodore 64

Industrial era starts at 1947
This era the computer revolution will go in full gear.
Computers will be produced by the millions each year and becoming smaller then a human finger nail.

 

1947 1950 1952 1955 1958 1961 1963 1965 1969 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1981 1982 1984 1986 1989 1991 1993 1994 1996 2000 2002

 

History of Computing by Country

available apr. november 2005
   

 

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Last Updated on October 26, 2004
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