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Computing: From the Abacus to the iPad
Humans have long attempted to mechanize calculations—mathematical and otherwise—and build problem-solving machines. Yet it was not until the 2th century, with the advent of the computer, that such technology truly hit its stride. Indispensable to nearly all industry and increasingly vital to individuals around the globe, the computer has come to be an icon of the modern age. This insightful volume chronicles the history of computing devices, from simple tabulators such as the abacus and the earliest analog calculators to the tablet computer. Also adroitly covered is how the Internet has spurred computing innovation.
146 pages, Library Binding
First published November 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 4, 2015
Computering from the Abacus to the I pad
The book Computering from the Abacus to the I pad, is a book that shows the development of our technology that we use today. From using digital objects to count, to a calculator giving you the answer within seconds. Before reading this book, I had no Idea what the Abacus even was, until I found out it was an object to help to count. The book gives you information of a famous person who invented the first smartphone, or the first computer. For instants, The Jacquard loom, which was invented in 1804 by a French weaver, named Joseph Marie Jacquard. He made a textile weaving loom, or could be called a processing device. In this book, there were 3 things that officially caught my eye and were fascinated on the history of it. One being the machine language, it was a machine built especially to translate words, sentences in a different language. It took so much time and effort to make this machine; it took many calculations and planning to make the final product. Thinking that in our generation we could have a translator app on out phone and with no effort, could learn to say a word in a foreign language, it blows my mind. The second amazing thing I learned was the early microcomputer software, Microsoft which is daily software we all use. It first started with making games, one company mad the game “Micro Chess” which convinced people that they could operate a computer. A couple of teenagers had built software that would provide statics on traffic flow. They wanted to create a basic software which was called Microsoft. “The Microsoft Corporation went on to develop versions of BASIC for nearly every computer that was released.” (Curley 78) Finally, the thing that is most famous in our generation, the Apple Company. Two people Stephen G. Wozniak and Steve P. Jobs both were interested in electronics. Wozniak bought a microprocessor that was used to design their own computer. They had a Homebrew meeting to decide how much to sell it for and what they needed to make this business successful. After a long process the cofounder, Steve Jobs had created the first Macintosh computer, it’s amazing how Apple started slow and built up to be one of the top businesses worldwide. Thus, what I have learned in this book, and the three things I found interesting.
(Q5) This book is full with how technology has been developed through the years and how difficult it was to do things that we now can do in a matter of seconds. I think that this book can help scientists to get ideas and design a new device, who know when the IPhone 7 will come out. It’s a great source of information that can be combined into one device probably made in the future.
(Q2) This book remembers me when we had a class, and we did an hour of code. It involves technology, and making your own game. This reminds me of how before games used to be made and the remote needed to play the game. This book has similar things to hour of code.
(Q1) This book is related to engineering, it shows different types of technology achievements, and how many people were successful with making different ways of technology work. It can be a guide for people who are interested in technology and would like to do that for a living.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is into technology, and would like to learn on how many famous devices and things used by technology are now the top companies, and devices. How we now don’t have to do so much work to find an answer to something, but just Google it. This book would also be good for someone who is into engineering and would like to study technology. This book talks about many things, and doesn’t make a subject long but gives important information and background information. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes Science, but still doesn’t know what they are interested about it; they could give this book a try. Thus, who I would recommend this book to, and why.
The book Computering from the Abacus to the I pad, is a book that shows the development of our technology that we use today. From using digital objects to count, to a calculator giving you the answer within seconds. Before reading this book, I had no Idea what the Abacus even was, until I found out it was an object to help to count. The book gives you information of a famous person who invented the first smartphone, or the first computer. For instants, The Jacquard loom, which was invented in 1804 by a French weaver, named Joseph Marie Jacquard. He made a textile weaving loom, or could be called a processing device. In this book, there were 3 things that officially caught my eye and were fascinated on the history of it. One being the machine language, it was a machine built especially to translate words, sentences in a different language. It took so much time and effort to make this machine; it took many calculations and planning to make the final product. Thinking that in our generation we could have a translator app on out phone and with no effort, could learn to say a word in a foreign language, it blows my mind. The second amazing thing I learned was the early microcomputer software, Microsoft which is daily software we all use. It first started with making games, one company mad the game “Micro Chess” which convinced people that they could operate a computer. A couple of teenagers had built software that would provide statics on traffic flow. They wanted to create a basic software which was called Microsoft. “The Microsoft Corporation went on to develop versions of BASIC for nearly every computer that was released.” (Curley 78) Finally, the thing that is most famous in our generation, the Apple Company. Two people Stephen G. Wozniak and Steve P. Jobs both were interested in electronics. Wozniak bought a microprocessor that was used to design their own computer. They had a Homebrew meeting to decide how much to sell it for and what they needed to make this business successful. After a long process the cofounder, Steve Jobs had created the first Macintosh computer, it’s amazing how Apple started slow and built up to be one of the top businesses worldwide. Thus, what I have learned in this book, and the three things I found interesting.
(Q5) This book is full with how technology has been developed through the years and how difficult it was to do things that we now can do in a matter of seconds. I think that this book can help scientists to get ideas and design a new device, who know when the IPhone 7 will come out. It’s a great source of information that can be combined into one device probably made in the future.
(Q2) This book remembers me when we had a class, and we did an hour of code. It involves technology, and making your own game. This reminds me of how before games used to be made and the remote needed to play the game. This book has similar things to hour of code.
(Q1) This book is related to engineering, it shows different types of technology achievements, and how many people were successful with making different ways of technology work. It can be a guide for people who are interested in technology and would like to do that for a living.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is into technology, and would like to learn on how many famous devices and things used by technology are now the top companies, and devices. How we now don’t have to do so much work to find an answer to something, but just Google it. This book would also be good for someone who is into engineering and would like to study technology. This book talks about many things, and doesn’t make a subject long but gives important information and background information. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes Science, but still doesn’t know what they are interested about it; they could give this book a try. Thus, who I would recommend this book to, and why.
May 13, 2015
This book by Robert Curley describes how computing has changed over many years as it started with an abacus where there wasn't even a screen at all to products today like the iPad where it is a mobile computer where you can do many things on it. It is very descriptive as it tells the reader the technological advances of computing and how it affected people's lives with the usefulness it had. This book has gave me more knowledge about computing with some technology that I have never known about and how it advanced as time went on with new technology coming up in the future.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews