History of Computation

Modern life has been affected tremendously by advances in information technologies. Computers and their applications are in the core of these advances. Attempts to design and build devices to aid humans in their computing tasks go back to ancient times. Mechanical computing devices appeared more than 2000 years ago. The era of electronic computers started in the 1940s. Electronic computers are now ubiquitous in modern societies. They appear in many forms, from primitive units that control functions in automobiles and home appliances, to very advanced supercomputers for the design of aircraft and the simulation of climate changes. Understanding the history of computing can help us make reasonable predictions about its future. This article begins with a brief summary of computing techniques and technologies invented by early civilizations, discusses major breakthroughs in the design of electronic computers, and presents preeminent computing technologies of our times. Finally, it touches upon expected computing technologies of the future.