The Development of Computing: A Timeline

How Has the Computer Developed?
"In one sense, computers have had a brief history - not much more than 35 years. In another sense their use stretches back in time to the first occasion when man picked up a few small stones or scratched marks in the earth as a record or memory aid. What he was doing in each case was using a physical unit or sets of units to represent numbers of quantities, and the essence of computers is in fact just this: a number or a quantity can be represented by a physical thing, whether a pebble, a bead on a wire an electrical relay or a submicroscopic area of a magnetized material. Once numbers can be expressed in a physical way, it becomes possible to manipulate them or change their state, causing them to represent different numbers of quantities. This in turn means that, in principle, it should be possible to construct a machine to perform these manipulations and thus act as an automatic calculator." (Evans. C., 1981. p15).
 

This timeline displays a chronology of the significant developments and events in computing that have led us into the age of information we live in today. Memories and peoples accounts of their experience with computers may be heard with the developments of that time.

These reminiscences represent the situation occurring in the work place and the computing companies in the Thames Valley area of England. Although many innovations and new computers were being created these were not necessarily present in the work place until many years after their development.
 

Alternatively use the forward and back buttons to navigate your way through the decades