Instructor: Tim Wylie, EIEAB 3.219, 956-665-2577, timothy.wylie@utrgv.eduSchedule: May 15 - June 2, 2023
Location: London, England
Syllabus:Outings: Some of the planned outings are The Science Museum,The British Museum, 1 Dorset Street, Bletchley Park, The National Museum of Computing, The Centre for Computing History, Science and Industry Museum, History of Science Museum, and Porlock Weir.
Description:
CSCI 4341 - The History of Computing.
The course presents an overview of the history of computation from the abacus to modern computers with an emphasis on the development of algorithmic methods and mechanical and electrical automation. Along with this overview, the students gain an insight into the historical context and consequence behind the development of computing throughout its growth.
Topics:
The course presents an overview of the history of computation. Topics include early calculating systems and devices, mechanical calculators, automata, keyboards and punch tape solutions, the difference machine and analytical engine, the electronic revolution, and the development of mathematical systems such as Boolean Algebra, set theory, and the Turing Machine. We will look at the history and the evolution/creation of Computer Science including figures such as Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, Grace Hopper, and John von Neumann. Along with the machines and many major figures, we will cover the historical context for the machines including problems they were solving, war efforts, control systems, and societal/ethical issues surrounding the events themselves and their consequences.
