Human Counting and Communicating Development Fishbone/Timeline
Computer/Internet Development Timeline: Your job is to draw a fishbone/timeline of the important discoveries concerning
the development of the computer and internet. Your timeline should be visually appealing as well as accurate. Your
timeline must fit on an 8 ½ X 16/18 chart paper supplied by Mr. Jordre and must contain colors. Penmanship counts. The
following is a list of 45 important dates/events/persons in the evolution of human counting and communicating through
history. The dates are not in chronological order. You must put these 45 items in the correct chronological order. This is a
test grade assignment. The Rubric is on the back of this sheet.
Year
400BC
1992
1999
100BC
2001
1962
1974
Person/machine/system
Abacus
Tim Berners-Lee
Wi-Fi
Antikythera
Jimmy Wales &
Larry Sanger
J.C.R. Licklider
Internet
900AD
Arabic numerals
1995
2004
1985
1623
Pierre Omidyar
Mark Zuckerberg
Bill Gates
W. Schickard
2005
1978
1642
1976
2006
1989
1614
1842
1998
1941
YouTube
Gary Thuerk
B. Pascal
Dr. R. Metcalfe
Dom Sagolla
The World, ISP
J. Napier
Charles Babbage
Andy Bechtolsheim
Konrad Zuse
2003
1943
1890
1964
1947
1951
1959
iTunes
1st Vacuum Tube
Computer
US Census
IBM 360 System
Transistor
UNIVAC
Semiconductors -ICs
1984
1977
1981
Steve Jobs
Apple II
IBM PC
1968
DARPA
1996
1999
2009
1626
1856
150BC
1792
1835
1904
1926
1876
1889
Nokia 9000
i-Mode
Quantum computing chip
Edmund Gunter
Railway Switching
Smoke Signals
Semaphore
Telegraph
Radio
Television
Telephone
Herman Hollerith
Event/Discovery/Use
A simple counting aid invented in Babylonia now called Iraq
Develops and releases World Wide Web - www
Wi-Fi, wireless internet technology is standardized
Mechanism used for registering the motion of stars and planets
Wikipedia launched- a multilingual, web-based, free-content encyclopedia
project based on an openly editable model
Introduces idea of global computer network-“Intergalactic Network”
Term “Internet” introduced in a Transmission Control Protocol paper written by
V. Cerf & R. Kahn
Arabic counting system introduced along with the concept of zero and fixed place
tens, hundreds and thousands – simplified mathematical calculations
Releases Auction Web which becomes eBay
Launches FaceBook
Launches 1st retail version of Windows
Builds 1st mechanical calculator – works with 6 digits and carries digits across
columns
YouTube launched revolutionizing web-based videos
Sends 1st SPAM email
Builds mechanical calculator – works with 8 digits
Invents Ethernet coaxial cables that quickly transport data
Launches Twitter
Offers 1st commercial dial-up internet available to public
Invents logarithms reduces multiplying and division to addition subtraction
Invents Analytical Engine-a mechanical computer that solves math problems
Establishes and incorporates Google
German engineer builds 1st programmable calculator that uses binary mathBoolean logic in doing its electronic calculations
Apple launches iTunes with 200,000 titles
British code breaking computer “Colossus” goes operational to decipher German
Enigma machines during WWII
IBM launches punch-card counting machines to accelerate 1890 census
IBM introduces standard institutional mainframe computer
Bell labs develops the transistor that replaces the vacuum tube in computers
The Universal Automatic Computer stores 12,000 digits in RAM delay lines
Texas Instruments announces the use of semiconductors and ICs to replace
transistors
Launches the 1st Apple Macintosh personal computer
1st personal computer is sold with 16K of RAM, but has no monitor
IBM launches its own version of the personal computer using DOS/BASIC as an
operating system developed by Bill Gates and Paul Allen
Issues RFP to develop a network to interconnect many small computers to a
mainframe computer called ARPANET to share information and messages
1st mobile phone with internet connectivity launched in Finland
NTT DoCoMo in Japan launches 1st mobile internet service
Yale University creates 1st solid state quantum processor
Invents 1st slide rule – a mechanical calculator using logarithmic scales
1st mechanical centralization interlocking switching system installed
Ancient Chinese use smoke signals to communicate on Wall of China
Semaphore signal system developed in France for long distance communication
Samuel Morse invents telegraph using Morse code over long distance wire in US
G. Marconi invents radio – wireless telegraph
Kalman Tianyi, a Russian, invents 1st fully electronic TV
Alexander Graham Bell invents telephone
Receives patent for 1st mechanical punch card tabulating machine
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Rubric
Appearance
Accuracy
Penmanship and
Readability
3
2
Used colors. Vibrant
creative timeline
Timeline is in correct
order.
Neatly written and
easily read
Used some colors.
Attractive timeline.
One or two
incorrect entries.
Readable but not
neat
2
1
Few colors used.
Unattractive
Three or four
incorrect entries.
Some entries are
unreadable.
0
No colors. Sloppy
timeline.
Multiple incorrect
entries.
Timeline is
unreadable.
From the Abacus to Quantum Processing via Schrödinger’s Cat in 2400+ Years
Physics Computer Project 2011-2012
Counting and communicating have been part of the human experience since ancient times. Electricity,
magnetic fields, electromagnetism, quantum theory, solid-state electronics all play a role in the human
counting and communicating experience of today’s modern world. With this in mind, create an
individual power point presentation answering the 35 questions below. This project is a test grade.
Each question should be a separate slide in your presentation. You should have 35 power point slides
when you are complete. The rubric/standards are on the back of this page. The project should start
with a title page as shown below:
Title Page – Physics Computer Project, Your Name, Mr. Jordre, Block 5-Groves High School
1. What is an Abacus, how does it work and what was it used for? Show a picture of an Abacus.
2. How did the Romans count, add and subtract numbers? How long was the Roman numeral system in place
and when did it stop being used in Europe? Show a picture of what the Roman numeral for 2011 would look
like.
3. Describe the Arabic counting system and when was it introduced in Europe?
4. What is the importance of the concept of “Zero” in counting, tabulating and in computing?
5. What is Boolean logic and why is it important to classical computer calculations?
6. What is a Quantum processor and how is it different from today’s modern computer?
7. What are “bits” and what do they represent? Show a picture on your slide.
8. What are “qubits” and what do they represent? Show a picture on your slide.
9. What is “quantum superposition” and how does it relate to Schrödinger’s equation and his Cat?
10. How does Morse code work? Show an example of some Morse letters in code.
11. Who was G. Marconi? Find a picture of him and the device he invented.
12. What are the “5 pillars” of Wikipedia?
13. Do you use Wikipedia for research for school to get information? Why do you use it or why not?
14. From what is the name “Wikipedia” derived?
15. What was the Enigma machine and what was its significance in WWII? Show a picture of this machine.
Why did Hitler think the Enigma machine’s code was unbreakable?
16. Where was “Colossus” located in England? How big was this computer? Find a picture of it. How many
calculations could it perform? How did it win WWII for the allies?
17. When and who introduced the term “Internet”?
18. What is the “National High-Performance Computer Act” and who sponsored it into law?
19. What were “Archie and Gopher”?
20. Who was Tim Berners-Lee and what is he credit with creating? What has supplanted his creation?
21. What language dominates over half the internet messages written? What is the 2nd language of the internet?
22. What is a cash register? Find a picture of an old mechanical cash register. Who invented the cash register?
23. What is a punch card machine? What was it used for? Who invented it?
24. Describe what “Facebook” is. How you become a member? Who and why do people use it?
25. What is a “smart phone” and what functions can it have? Show a picture of your phone.
26. What is an “iPad” and what functions can it perform? How is it different from a computer?
27. Define the following terms: App, bug, virus and worm.
28. What is a “slide rule” and how does it work? Show a picture of a slide rule. Who invented it?
29. What is the “Kindle” and what is it revolutionizing? Show a picture of the Kindle.
30. Railroads have used mechanical and electrical interlocking systems to control trains since they were
invented. Define these terms: Electric locking, Section locking and Route locking.
31. What is semaphore? Over what distance was it used? Show a picture of a semaphore station and the basic
signals for the letters A, B and C.
32. Who started IBM? What company did the founder work for before forming IBM? What did IBM produce
before it began making computers? Did IBM help Hitler implement the Holocaust?
33. Describe what “twitter” is. How you sign up for its use? And why you would use it?
34. What do you think is the most important development in counting and communicating between humans?
Explain your decision for your choice.
35. What was the most important “bit” of information you learned in researching this project?
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