Programming+Computers

Computer programming is the art of ordering a computer around. In a simple sense, imagine a computer as a car. You need to build the car and assemble the parts in the right way. When you start the car, the engine starts and everything works in sync if the car is built correctly. Without human intervention, the car would just sit there and idle, with nothing to do. imagine programming as the driver; it tells the car where to go and what to do. = History =

History of Computer programming dates back to the later part of the 1700's when mechanical looms used a system of punched cards to weave intricate designs. Other computers used cogs to store information based on how the cog was set in it's place. Gottfried Leibniz studied the binary system throughout his career and realized it's potential for computers. Morse Code uses a system of longs and shorts, which is similar to the binary system. The Binary system uses 1's and 0's to represent data. It is what all computers used. The next major advancement in computer programming came in 1951 when the ORDVAC computer became the first to use Stored-program architecture. Stored program Architecture means the computer has a central processing unit and a memory that stores both data and programs the machine. This means that instead of having to physically rewire the machine, programs and commands could be entered via a keyboard to change the function or program. This is what almost all modern computer use except for calculators and watches. This allowed for everyday people to program when computers became small enough to enter the home. Computer programming continues to get better as more languages are being created and added on to.



= Expert Encounter  =

Interview with an expertBenjamin Peterson has been programming computers for six years. he has been the release manager for the programming language Python and and has worked on the Firefox browser system. He has traveled to Sweden, Chicago, and Silicon Valley in the name of programming. His experience will be gladly appreciated on my project. Q: When did you learn about computer programming? A: When I was In sixth grade, I received a book on designing a web page. After I did that, I dug deeper into computer programming. Q:Why did you start programming? A: Because it is exciting to discover how computers work and what is behind software. Q: Are you going to plan a career around your programming work? A: Probably not because it is interesting but I do not want to sit around on a computer for the rest of my life. Q: Are there many job offerings in computer programming? A:Yes. companies need programmers to make software and other things. Q: Describe computer programming in your own words. A:Uhhhh..... Most of it is fixing things. Q:If anybody wanted to learn programming, could they? A:definitely.

Benjamin was nice enough to help me write my own program. I went to an online text editor and typed in print "hello". I then downloaded this and put it on the terminal. When I did this, the text "hello" appeared. This may be very basic, but Benjamin said the basics can expand into much, much more.

back to home

= =