In our lecture today we began with the history of computers. It is widely believed that the very first computers were investned in primitive form as early as the 1700s to perform mathematical functions and thus were simple calculators. In the 19th century Charles Babbage and his partner Aida Byron (daughter of Lord Byron), were believed to be the parents of what we commonly know as the computer although it wasnt until World War 2 that these machines were utilized in a more practical way with Alan turings cracking of the Germans enigma code.
In the 1940s IBM were the first company to produce computers. Although it is not officially recognied until the 1950s.
At Zerox PARC in the early 1970s the invention of the mouse, drop down lists and graphical interface began i new age in information technology although in the 1970s Bill Gates claims to be the real inventor although many believe he was only the first to patent theses innovations rather than actually invent them. Gates BASIC computer language was the first of its type in world and this invention co insided with his starting of the giant conglomerate Microsoft.It was at this stage that computers took a giant leap in their development with other pioneers such as Apple co founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak aslo producing what we commonly refer to as the personal computer or the "PC".
The internet was invented in a very simple form forty years ago in 1969 (yes it would have been very slow then!) It was initially called the Arpanet and it was soon after this in 1971 that Ray Tomlinson invented and sent the very first email (and in 1979 the usernet was invented and 1979 saw the advent of the first emoticon (the smilie).