How have computers changed from 1945 to 2007?

Answer

The earliest computers were huge machines - higher than a man - and took up a large amount of space in a specially air-conditioned room. Input was by way of punched cards and processing was slow.

Programmers tediously wrote their programs onto paper sheets then 'desk-checked' them in an attempt to ensure they were error free, before submitting them to the card punch operators. Because the computer resource was limited, programs were normally only assembled at night, so if a program contained even one error, there was usually a 24-hour turnaround to correct it.

The earliest computers were generally reserved for important research projects. Business accounting had to be performed by pen and paper, aided by slow manual calculators and adding machines.

• What is the process a computer uses to convert data into information?
• When was spell check invented?
• What is the oldest search engine?