5


THE HISTORY OF ICT 5.1 Vocabulary word sets: synonyms, antonyms, etc. • describing trends


A Look at the pictures on the opposite page. 1 What do they have in common?


2 Put them in the order of development.


B Study the words in box a. 1 Find pairs of words with similar meanings.


2 What part of speech is each word?


a architecture calculate change complex configure convert create design develop engine knowledge machine precision record set up sophisticated stage step store tolerance understanding work out


C Study the Hadford University handout on this page. Find pairs of blue words with similar meanings.


D Study the words in box b. 1 Find pairs of opposites.


2 Group words together to make sets. 3 Try to give a name to each word set.


b academic addition analogue civilian


commercial current decode decrypt digital division encode encrypt fixed flexible


limited military multiplication multi-purpose obsolete portable specialized subtraction


E Work with a partner.


1 Choose an image on the opposite page. Use words from box b to describe it.


2 Your partner should guess which image you are talking about.


F Look at Figure 1. 1 How would you describe the graph?


2 What do each of the lines on the graph show?


G Study the description of Figure 2 on this page. Write one or two words in each space.


38 of transistors


Faculty: ICT Lecture: The history of computing


In order to fully understand the current state of the computer, it is essential to know about the key stages in its technical evolution. This introductory lecture will look at these stages, beginning with the abacus – first used to calculate taxes in Babylon in 2500 BCE – and continuing up to the present.


The lecture will examine how, over time, new calculating engines were developed for specific purposes by inventors. It will look at the way in which the architecture of the machines was limited by the tolerance with which parts could be made, using the technology at the time.


The lecture will also explore how machines became more complex as inventors’ understanding of computing developed. This includes the kind of machines which had to be configured for each task, as well as machines which were programmable. In addition, it will look at how data was stored and converted into input types suitable for the computer. Finally, it will examine why computers have become necessary in war and how military needs in the 20th century were responsible for so many new developments.


Figure 2 shows changes


number and cost of transistors 1971


1985. Up to 1979, there was a in the number of transistors. During the same period, prices . From 1979 to 1985, the cost of the transistors showed a


. At the same time, the number .


.


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