What did computers have in the 1930's and 1940's that they still have today?
2006-12-13 14:18:05 · 16 answers · asked by beachbum 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
They were called "typewriters" back in the day and the memory was all in the head of the person doing the typing.
2006-12-13 14:26:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, for the most part they did not have a computer monitor. Usually input was done by hand - later by paper cards - later by paper tape. Output might have been a display of lights in the beginning but usually output went to a line printer, unless they were punching cards as a result. Monitors for the most part came later.
The fundamentals of computing haven't changed, just the hardware. Back then there were logic switches, except they were large. When the transistor was invented, and later the microchip, the switches went from being huge to being microscopic, but they still existed.
For the most part there was off-site storage - usually in the form of paper cards and later, magnetic tape. Now we have hard drives.
There was computer memory, smaller, yes, but it existed.
It's easier to say what there wasn't. There were no graphics cards like you know them, no mice, no mega-giga-bit hard drives.
There were eventually modems, although not standardized.
As I said, the concepts were the same, but the hardware has changed.
2006-12-13 14:31:16 · answer #2 · answered by T J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cables, memory, a CPU, keyboard, monitor, and a user/programmer. And a computer like the one you are using now would fill a football field.
The memory was not able to maintain anything after shut down. The output was punch cards or paper punch tape and input was a modified typewriter. The CPU was a huge room full of Vaccume Tubes .It was so slow by today's standards its not even funny.
2006-12-13 14:22:01 · answer #3 · answered by Psycmixer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are we talking about PC's, because they weren't around in the 1930's and 1940's.
2006-12-13 14:21:10 · answer #4 · answered by designkidcom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually if you wanna get technical the first "computer" was theoritcally around with the Ancient Greeks. However, in comparing computers form the era you mentioned (first computer actually come out around '46) are like comparing apples to oranges. About the only thing they may have in common today is pathways(although one is smaller than the other) and the need for a power source.
2006-12-13 14:21:46 · answer #5 · answered by Cerinicus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most early computers did not have monitors, keyboards, or hard drives. They were programmed with switches and punch cards. The output was done with lights on a panel and output on paper.
2006-12-13 14:31:49 · answer #6 · answered by Kirk 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they all had a CPU and harddrives most of computers were used for war tactics and a computer was big as a room
2006-12-13 15:24:58 · answer #7 · answered by pawnofthepeople 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Human operators.
2006-12-13 14:20:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People running them.
2006-12-13 14:20:14 · answer #9 · answered by marklemoore 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
basically they have same components as in early 1900s..
monitor/keyboard/CPU/HD/RAM/MODEM..etc..but now the components are more powerful
2006-12-13 14:23:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋