A GENIUS PIECE

A GENIUS PIECE

By: Dina F. Comboy

          Imagine. Imagine living during the time of Dr. Jose Rizal wherein no signs of technology yet. Imagine the world without computer. Perhaps you will question yourself, how will I survive? How will I get in touch with my friends and relatives? How will I beat the deadline of my boss? How will I get myself acquainted with the stream of facts that surrounds me? So, can you still survive?

           Computers run the world nowadays. A predominant invention, man had ever made. Almost every office is run by computers. Lesson planning for teachers becomes effortless. Saving and retrieving of document was steadfast for office clerks. Treatments and operations of the sick become swift and painless for physicians. Criminals were easily tracked down by police enforcers. These are just some of the numerous advantage of computer. Realizing these makes me feel fortunate being born during the computer age. I’m lucky because the world was made more comfortable because of computer. But to whom are we really grateful for this invention? Let’s move the hands of time back to where it begins.

           Many inventors contributed to the history of computers and that a computer is a complex piece of machinery made up of so many parts, each of which can be considered a separate invention. That is why no single person can claim that computer was solely his own invention. Time after time it gradually evolves from single tasking to multi tasking depending to the needs of time.

           It was year 1936 when computer enters the mainstream with Konrad Zuse’s Z1 computer, the first freely programmable computer. Six years later, John Atanasoff and Clifford Bey came out with their invention, the ABC computer. After 2 years of the release of the ABC computer, Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper, launched the Harvard Mark 1 computer. Then several scientists were rewarded for their remarkable invention. The well known IBM or International Business Machines enters into the history of computer in the year 1953. From that year on the IBM has manipulated the computer world. Year after year, they come out with series of innovations which amazed the market. Until their number one rival was born, the Apple computers. Steve Jobs and Wozniak started the Apple computers. Jobs and Wozniak are credited with revolutionizing the computer industry by democratizing the technology and making the machines smaller, cheaper intuitive and accessible to everyday consumers. Bill Gate’s Microsoft begins the friendly war with Apple in 1985 up to present.

           Indeed, the computer we are enjoying today are not merely a product of single mind rather a continuous struggle of several scientists to make the world a better and comfortable place to live in.