Greatest Engineering Achievements - #08 Computers
|
|
| Audience/Grade: | High School Junior -Continuing Education 11-Continuing Education |
| Discipline(s): |
Computer Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation General Engineering, Engineering Science History of Science and Technology Industrial Engineering Information Systems Information Technology Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
| Special Topic(s): | |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Article/Document |
| Media Type: |
Unknown |
| Author(s): |
Organization:National Academy of Engineering - NAE |
| Description: | Part of the National Academy of Engineering's site of the top 20 greatest engineering achievements of the Twentieth Century. Computers are listed as #8 in impact. The site has a timeline and an essay by Bill Gates, as well as pages titled: binary computer, EDVAC, UNIVAC, applications, and personal computers. "The machine depicted on the cover of the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics magazine sounded impressive—"World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models"—and at a price of $397 for the parts, it seemed like quite a bargain. In truth, the Altair 8800 was not a minicomputer, a term normally reserved for machines many times as powerful. Nor was it easy to use. Programming had to be done by adjusting toggle switches, the memory held a meager 256 bytes of data, and output took the form of patterns of flashing lights. " |
| Rating: |
|
| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | engineering achievements binary computer history of computing computing history EDVAC UNIVAC personal computer |
| Is Component of: |
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(c) Design a system, component, or process |
| Use of Resource: |
Great site to show the engineering behind everyday products and systems. |
| Difficulty: |
Easy |
| Interactivity Level: |
Low |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | December 2009 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Free |
| Download URL: | http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=2956 |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
|
