It All Started With A Slide

     Before the age of information and technology, our ancestors were forced to crunch numbers with nothing but the mental capacity they possessed. Due to the lack of tools to assist the general public, mathematical computations could only be solved by top-notch mathematicians and scientists of the time. Fortunately, inventions such as the abacus and the integration of slide rules began to make their way into society and introduced society to a wider array of mathematical processes. Technological advances continued through the course of history, and in 1936, Alan Turing invented a machine which formalized the concepts derived from algorithms and other computations. Turing was the first to create a device which was able to adapt and stimulate the logic of any computer algorithm. Unfortunately, the “Turing Machine” proved unable to solve the decision problems in mathematics and algorithms but is still credited as the foundation of modern computer science as it provided society with a blueprint for the very first digital computer.¹ This “blueprint” paved the way for one German engineer to successfully invent a machine which went on to revolutionize computer science in modern day society.

 Minor advancements, such as various binary computing devices, were made throughout the computer science community until one lone engineer created an instrument which would propel society into a technological age. Konrad Zuse entered isolation in 1936 to begin construction on a series of calculators. Zuse emerged from his laboratory in 1938 and introduced the world to a concept which continues to stand as a cornerstone to computer engineers in modern society. Zuse’s first computer, dubbed Z1, was a revolutionary device for the society at the time. Zuse’s mechanism may have outshined all other calculators at the time, but his contraption was purely mechanical and failed to be reliable. After the initial failure of his debut creation, Zuse began to formulate a device which avidly broke down all previous barriers in the computer science community. His next machine, the Z3, computed fixed sequences of arithmetical operations coded in a punched tape.² Due to the Z3’s ability to read any sequence of instructions from the user, Zuse’s brainchild had become the world’s first free programmable automatic calculator.³ During the time of the Z3, Zuse also began developing Plankalkül, the first high-level programming language for a computer. The Plankalkül system relied on a two-dimensional layout that did not stay consistent with normal parsers and this, along with other inconsistencies, was the reason it was not adopted and implemented.⁴ Zuse’s paper on Plankalkül remained unpublished until the language was more refined, and was published in 1948. The successes of the Z3 and Plankalkül propelled Zuse into fame and he was quickly solidified a spot in history as an essential pioneer in the computer science community. Zuse’s calculator continued to rein as the only general purpose computer and the work of two Americans, whose ideas completely reinvented the computer, remained unnoticed.

 During the time of Zuse’s construction on his series of calculators, a professor and graduate student began development on the first electronic digital computing device. During the construction phase, Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry integrated binary arithmetic and electronic switching elements into their device. The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) was successful tested in 1942, but it was not certified as a programmable computer. Although the ABC was never a programmable computer, Atanasoff and Berry were the first to: incorporate vacuum tubes into a computer, implement elements of using binary digits to represent numbers and data, use electronics in all calculations, and create a system where memory and computation remain separate. These implementations have been regarded as the building blocks of computers and still remain part of every modern computer. Development on the computer ceased before it was registered as fully operational though, and the ABC remained a mystery until a dispute arose after a physicist and engineer patented the first digital computing device.

John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert began development on a device to calculate artillery firing tables for the U.S. Army during World War Two.⁵ The final product was revealed in 1946 and the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC) became a landmark in computer engineering history. The ENIAC adopted the vacuum tube technology from the ABC and built upon its limited solving systems. The ENIAC was an improvement on the ABC, but was constantly plagued with problems and failures. ENIAC demanded 174 K.W. of power to run the 17,468 tubes, which were prone to failure about every two days. In addition: the average error free run period was 5.6 hours, it weighed over thirty tons, and occupied over 1,800 square feet.⁶ The ENIAC’s programming language incorporated setting program switches on the units so if the units were stimulated by the input pulse of a program, the controls for said program would cause the units to carry out a specific set of operations.⁷ After being granted a patent in 1964, the ENIAC was credited as the first electronic digital computing device. This patent was later voided in 1973 when a federal judge recognized Atanasoff as the inventor of the first electronic digital computer. Although the ENIAC will never be the first electronic digital computer, it still remains as the first programmable, general-purpose electronic computer. Developers of the ENIAC came to recognize the many problems created by the machine and proceeded to begin rethinking the engineering of computing devices as a whole. This new design was conceived by one singular mathematician and created an opening for many computer engineering breakthroughs.

John von Neumann first introduced his design architecture to the public with a paper in 1945. Neumann called for a design which would hold subdivisions for each part of the computer, an external storage for memory, and input/output mechanisms.⁸ Construction on prototypes began all over the world and the first genuine application of Neumann’s design was demonstrated by the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM) in 1948. This machine was not intended to be a practical computer, but still holds the title for the first working machine to incorporate all the essential elements of a modern day computer.⁹ The first practical implementation of Neumann’s stored program design was produced a year later at Cambridge University. The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) was constructed by Maurice Wilkes and his team after Wilkes became inspired by Neumann’s paper. The EDSAC programming software required users to punch in their programs onto a paper tape and users prepared their programs for the EDSAC by hanging the tape from a length of line by the paper tape reader. Machine operators then loaded the queued tapes into the EDSAC after the tapes that were previously in line had been printed out and returned to the user.¹⁰ The EDSAC was immediately devoted for research work at Cambridge University and the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) surfaced one year after the EDSAC. EDVAC seemed to resemble a more condensed version of ENIAC and proved to be the machine Neumann attempted to convey in his paper from four years prior. The EDVAC’s ability to compute at around the same rate as ENIAC while only being a fraction of the size led the EDVAC to be the most reliable and productive computer during its time.

Vacuum tube based computers monopolized the electronics industry through the 1950s and a variety of programming languages began to be designed. The three major programming languages: FORTRAN, LISP, and COBOL all emerged in the 1950s and are their descendants are still utilized in today’s society. The vacuum tubes in the computers forced the computer to be quite large. The announcement of transistor-based machines was preferable because they were cheaper, faster, smaller, and more reliable. The transistor’s ability to amplify electronic signals as well as switch electronic signals on and off depleted the need for vacuum tubes. It was through experimentation of the transistor technology and integrated circuits that led to one of the most influential technologies in modern day society; the microprocessor.

Microprocessors contain all the functions of a computer’s central processing unit (CPU) all onto one single integrated circuit.¹¹ The first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, was designed by Jederico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Masatoshi Shima. The 4-bit CPU was released in 1971 and was capable of approximately 92,000 instructions per second (1 MHz).¹² The Intel 4004 was succeeded by the Intel 8008, but neither the 4004 or the 8008 microprocessors had the ability to run a programming language. It was Intel’s 8080 chip in 1974 which finally allowed users to run a programming language. The 8080 was utilized in early microcomputers and helped formed the basis for machines running on the CP/M operating system. In 1978, Intel launched x86 and once again revolutionized not just the computer science community, but society as a whole. A large amount of modern day software and operating systems still support the 30 year old x86-based hardware. Over the past 40 years, the improvements in microprocessors have increased from a 4-bit CPU with 1 MHz of processing speed to a 64-bit CPU with 2667 MHz of processing speed.¹³

The increased processing speed let to the ability to produce more user friendly operating systems. Operating systems were around in the 1950s, but it was difficult for the general public to decipher. After the integration of monitors and disks, computers were able to portray a screen with which the user would interact. The rapid advancements in computer science have helped aid society in a multitude of instances. Many medical breakthroughs are made possible because of the computer technology we obtain. The advances in computers have also created opportunities for people to stay more easily connected with family and friends with social networking sites. Without the technology and information we receive from computers, our society would not be in the same place it is today.

Works Cited

¹ Burgin, Mark, and Eugene Eberbach. "Universality for Turing Machines, Inductive Turing Machines and Evolutionary Algorithms." Fundamenta Informaticae 91.1 (2009): 53-77. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Sept. 2011.

² Rojas, R., "How to make Zuse's Z3 a universal computer," Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE , vol.20, no.3, pp.51-54, Jul-Sep 1998. doi: 10.1109/85.707574

³ Aspray, William. "Great Computing Museums of the World, Part Two." Communications of the ACM 53.5 (2010): 45-49. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Sept. 2011.

⁴ Rojas, Raúl et al. “Konrad Zuse’s Plankalkül and its Compiler.” Feb. 2000. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

⁵ William T. Moye. “ENIAC: The Army-Sponsored Revolution.” Jan. 1996. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

⁶ Martin H. Weik. “A Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems.” Dec. 1955. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

⁷ Clippinger, R. F. A Logical Coding System Applied to the ENIAC. Research and Development Division: Aberdeen Proving Ground, 1948. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

⁸ Richards, Martin. “EDSAC Initial Orders and Squares Program.” Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

⁹ von Neumann, J., "First draft of a report on the EDVAC," Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE , vol.15, no.4, pp.27-75, 1993. doi: 10.1109/85.238389

¹⁰ Brian Napper. “Early Computers (1946-51).” 20 Aug. 1999. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

¹¹ Osborne, Adam. An introduction to microcomputers. September 1978 revision. Berkeley: Adam Osborne & Associates, 1978. Print.

¹² Gilder, George. Microcosm : the quantum revolution in economics and technology. New York  NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Print.

¹³ Ralph, Nate. “When Four Cores Aren’t Enough: Intel’s Core i7-980X Extreme Edition | PCWorld.” PC World. 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

What I See When Removing Myself From Situations.

I have recently been feeling like I'm getting away by the skin on my teeth here at college. I understand all the material for my classes just fine, but time simply seems to elude me. I constantly am transitioning from one task to another with no time to sit down and take a break. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just incredibly frantic! And to top it off, I often forget plans with people because cell service doesn't seem to penetrate the brick wall housing of our dorms. Now I am making a list of first world problems in my life; what has this blog turned into? Speaking of blogs, I actually started another tumblr with music that is coursing through my ears at the moment. It's not necessarily the most original thought in the world, but it may help introduce music to people who would not had found it otherwise. So check it out! Anyways, I was walking down the street today and I saw someone who was wearing a pair of Crocs... I don't understand how society could possibly find those things attractive in any way. Heely's are pretty cool; I saw someone wearing those earlier as well. I don't understand while people play video games sometimes. When you think about it, video games accomplish next to nothing in the real world. The top one percent of the gaming population will compete in the Major League of Gaming series, but other than that, there isn't much money to be made in playing video games. This led me to start thinking about why people pay for MMORPG services. (For those of you who have no idea what a MMORPG is, think World of Warcraft). Players pay a large some of money ($15 for WoW) to simply run through dungeons, pick up gear, and make their character better. Then, after your beefcake character gets most beefcake gear the game has to offer, new dungeons are opened for you to raid! Now you may be wondering, "What wonders could those dungeons possibly contain that would constitute such beefcake gear?" The answer is something far better than your previous prize for plundering a digital dungeon... You get.... Better gear! Yes! It's the same as your old gear, but now you can be hit by FIVE arrows instead of three. That is literally the entire game of World of Warcraft in a nutshell. And millions of people PAY for this game! I paid for this game! It was fun in my spare time, but I don't understand why people pay to waste their time. There are so many better things people can fill their time with! Once you start meeting people, a whole new world of opportunities opens up. If you're still reading this post, I encourage you to walk up to someone new tomorrow and introduce yourself. It doesn't have to be that kid sitting alone in the corner of the dining hall, (that kid is usually weird), but I do encourage you to meet a new person. Most people want to introduce themselves and make new friends, but they're too shy. If everyone has the same mindset, no one will ever meet new people. Someone has to break the mold! I'm not trying to persuade you into becoming a transcendentalist, but conforming to the negative aspects of society isn't a good choice for anybody. Let's face it, American society is pretty stupid... We are being led by an office who doesn't understand how to keep debt under control. I don't blame the democratic party as much as I blame the stupid Americans who don't know how to refrain from buying an item if they don't physically have the money. It's such a simple concept! If you don't have the money, don't buy! Unfortunately, expecting people to use logic before making a selfish decision is just too much. I don't know what it will take for people to realize they can't keep living their lives in such a despicable manner,  but I sure hope that it happens soon. I'm not sure how much longer our country can hold on...

Story Time.

I am starting to begin to realize how hard it’s going to be for me to put aside thirty minutes every day to blog. I did finish all of my homework though… and everyone knows that’s one of the best feelings you can get. I didn’t really have time to think about a topic to start with today (because if you haven’t noticed… I tend to stray off topic). I guess how I can write about how I crashed into a pole today… Yeah, it happened… So my friend and I were riding to the nearest Ross because I had failed to pack any of my nice jackets and suit pants to college; and I look down to check my phone. I was riding my bike on the sidewalk and when I put my phone away and looked back up at my course, I noticed that I was heading for a collision course with a bus stop pole. Bring. It. On. I immediately stood up, like a ninja, onto my seat and jumped off into the grass to perform a tuck and role. After that thought rushed into my head, I hit the pole with my tire, and proceeded to fly into the air. For some reason, I thought it would be a great idea to just toss my phone into the street so I didn’t land on it. Luckily, I came out of the dust and debris unscathed! A girl passing by in her car suddenly honked at me and called me cute. True story. Ask Patrick Moore, he was there and witnessed it all! Unfortunately, my phone suffered a much worse fate than myself. I picked it up and the screen had turned off. I popped out the battery and shoved it back in, praying for my phone to show SOME SORT OF LIFE! It still wouldn’t power on, and I was stuck with a broken phone. I jiggled with the phone, listening for a sign that something had been knocked loose; and something had indeed been knocked loose from its place. I sighed; took out the battery, put it back in, and jammed it in my pocket. We continued riding and I have to deal with the fact that I now need a new phone. Then my phone suddenly came back to life! So now my phone works, and I got a nice suit from Ross for only $77. True story…. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Cool story bro.” Am I right?… Well, in my defense, you could have stopped reading at any time. Oh man, I just realized that I have five minutes left, but I still have to get ready! Will I have time to finish this blog? Yes. Yes I will…. I hope that if you’re reading this, it’s because you find me funny and entertaining. I have obscure thoughts, and this is how I would act around people if I didn’t have the self-control to shut up. Sometimes it’s good to have a very wild and free imagination. I think that artists are magnificent because they can make those thoughts come to life! I decided that I’m taking an art class while at college. Speaking of art… If any of you can draw, could you draw me something with a very fantasy like landscape? I would really appreciate it and hang it up on my wall! There aren’t many people who read this, but maybe somebody could do me a favor. Email me if you would like my address.

Happily Releasing My Thoughts Into The Wild.

Listening to ambient noise while doing homework is definitely something everybody must try some day in their life. It's calming nature perfectly captivates anyone who is patient enough to turn the "song" into a story. The complexity behind the noise I listen to makes me wonder if I could ever become so knowledgeable in music theory. "Hopefully" is my only answer to that thought. It came to my attention yesterday from a certain somebody..... that he didn't really understand how I structure my writing. If anyone thinks that I am weird and crazy, feel free to let me know, but this is how I intended this blog to go. It's literally my thoughts for thirty minutes strait. I don't edit any of the content that I type, (I edit the spelling... you guys wouldn't want that), and I don't take the time to organize each idea in my head. I simply just have one strain of thought and write it down.. It's a good stress relief for me and I thought that other people would be entertained by the thought process I have just in every day life. I considered keeping a journal, but I saw no reason for keeping these epiphany's all to myself (I probably won't post anything too personal) and I thought that maybe my friends would like to see some of my writing style. There really isn't a point to these things, except for maybe I'll have people start to think. I guess that's a goal in itself. I have a certain view point on things, and I don't really ever voice my opinion on deeper thoughts I have with the way society acts. Also, no one can interrupt me when I take thirty minutes for myself. Anyways, I'm straying off topic... If you don't understand my concept here or simply can't stand my ADD thought process, maybe this blog isn't for you.. I can promise you that just about every one of my posts will be something like the last 2 have been (I'm counting this one). Some people are too thrown off by my way of thinking and I accept that, but some people may actually want to read the stuff I post. Compliments always make people feel better as well. I think that these blogs may actually influence others to have a more optimistic view on life! I touched on the subject of happiness being contagious in my last post, and optimism has the very same effect. People don't want to feel down in the dumps, they want to live a long and fulfilling life... It's literally the reason people immigrated to America all those years ago. People wanted to pursue the American Dream. America was the place where these families could have a new life! All of a sudden, a poor immigrant could own his own business. He could have a house, get married, have children and live happily ever after. In every single Disney Princess movie, the prince and princess get married and live HAPPILY ever after! Happiness is the reason people do the things they do; they're in the pursuit of happiness (sorry, that song came on from the room next door and I just had to make that joke). Now this is me stalling for time because I forgot what my main point was... I'm trying to read what I have already written while continuing to write this stalling note... all at the same time. OH YES! Optimism! Optimism simply flows through you as long as you can continue to be happy. I can promise you that reader. Anyways, I'm beginning to run out of thoughts to complete these last seven minutes. Do you remember when you were a little child? Do you remember the Saturday mornings when you would wake up super early to watch your favorite cartoons? Your parents would hound at you for not being able to wake up for school, but being wide awake for cartoons on Saturday. Nostalgia is always a pleasant surprise. All of the nostalgic moments I have just seem to fill me with such a euphoric feeling. I hope that my kids will still have the same tendencies as the generation I grew up with.... Great... Now I'm starting to act like my dad. It's weird knowing that when my generation grows up and begins to settle down, all of the technology we grew up with will be completely outdated. It makes me excited for all of the new things the future has to hold. I guess that's optimism in a nutshell now, isn't it?

I'm Pretty Pessimistic for an Optimist.

I don't understand how people can get to college and still not act like adults. The shape of the restrooms in the dorms are always sub-par and the blatant disrespect for the place leaves me completely befuddled. It's obviously too difficult to lean over and flush the toilet when your finished. Have to run quick? Don't worry about washing your hands, I just sincerely hope you don't shake hands with anyone else and give them an illness. Learn to have some courtesy and maybe think about others. I share a two toilet and two shower bathroom with 14 people here in the dorms. I thought that we wouldn't need to have a talk about what is and isn't appropriate while visiting the restroom. These people who don't respect others are often the ones who turn into the parents who refuse to supervise their children. It amazes me how many people I see a day let their kids run a muck. It wouldn't be as bad if their children were somewhat decently behaved and didn't destroy half of the cafe I used to work in. I would witness kids who were too short to see over the counter stand up on a very flimsy shelf and fall over. Completely their fault, yet the parent would immediately strut over and hound on the resort for not putting stronger shelving units in our cafe. Words can not describe how frustrated I would become with these particular people! They have no regard for anybody but themselves. This is why our society is going down the tubes. No one is willing to be selfless and help other people. Selflessness leads to a happier environment. People genuinely want to spend time with you because you are fun and entertaining to be around. This, in turn, leads to being in a better mood and having a more optimistic view on life. It's one circle of happiness and it's not difficult to obtain. Unfortunately, people don't ever seem to have the same outlook on life as I do and everything always looks bleak. It's not easy to break out of that cycle, but once you do, nothing is holding you back. All you need to do is partake is something you truly love. Take up an interesting hobby, go get lost in the city with friends, take a walk down to a local coffee shop and meet new people; anything is better than sitting in a room watching TV or playing video games. Coffee shops tend to be flooded with social people and any one you meet there would be stoked to learn more about you. I used to visit my favorite coffee shop every day, sometimes twice or three times in one day. It was one place where I knew I would see someone I know. It may seem hard to start a conversation with a complete stranger, but happiness seems to be pretty contagious. When people meet someone who has a positive outlook on life, they can't help but to wonder what they do that keeps them in such a good mood. Keep the conversation balanced when you meet new people. I've also noticed that people really enjoy the sound of their name, so using their name in sentences usually keeps them interested in the conversation. People on the street notice when someone always has a smile on their face. The people who simply seem to glow with hope. I know it sounds cheesy, but The Beatles got it right when they said "all you need is love." As long as you can stay in touch with what makes you happy, other people will continue to want to be around. Society just wants to be happy, and we should be stoked to supply other people with joy.