Computer Chronicle 0. Introduction
- history
- computer
List of Computer Chronicle Series
The series is planned to be published every two weeks. However, since this is a hobby project, the schedule may change or be delayed.
| Series | Link |
|---|---|
| Computer Chronicle 0 Introduction | Link |
| Computer Chronicle 1 First Steps Toward Thinking Machines, The Founders of Reasoning | Link |
Introduction
Humans create tools, and tools recreate humans.
Marshall McLuhan1
To say it again, computers are fascinating objects. They are different from items with clear purposes like cars for riding or scissors for cutting.
On a computer screen, it seems like anything is possible! While it feels ordinary now, we can perform incredibly large calculations, chat with friends, or search for information. We can draw pictures, listen to music, or even create it. They are truly magical machines.
Somehow, I ended up double majoring in computer engineering and walking the path of a programmer. I have spent time gaining knowledge to handle computers as I wish. During this process, I began to wonder: how did the concepts related to computers that I take for granted come into existence?
To explore some of my curiosity related to my job, I researched and wrote a few articles.
In Search of JS - Early Mistakes and Choices in Javascript
JS Exploration - Closer Series 2 From Mathematicians' Dreams to JS Stardom
While doing this research, I often reached a more fundamental question: "How did computers come to be?" What time, people, dreams, frustrations, and realizations shone in the world before this small machine emerged?
As I gathered related fragments of knowledge, I hesitated to organize and write them down. I felt uncertain that I could capture all the tangled, vast stories.
However, looking back, I realize that knowing everything isn't necessary.
For example, the question of who created the first computer is still debated. But does that answer really matter to me? What matters more is how the ideas that led to the computer's existence emerged, how people reached those ideas, and how they developed them afterward.
I believe that by learning the paths of their thoughts, I may one day come up with an idea that never existed before.
So, I am starting this series on the history of computers. While I expect it to be a written account of knowledge, my goal is not to list knowledge. I want to follow the trail of thoughts of those who brought something new into the world. This series is a record of following the flow of thought.
I will do my best to avoid writing incorrect information, but I won't worry about content that is missing. What I want to achieve in this article is to draw even a thin line of understanding through the hundreds of years of time that led to computers appearing as they are now.
For those like me who are interested in stories intertwined with technology, there are exciting narratives waiting. Familiar concepts that we know, sometimes strange and slightly specialized knowledge, and innovations that are now largely forgotten.
Many people have sown the seeds of this story. From ancient Greek academies, fields near Methodist churches, smoke-filled factories during the industrial revolution, to chalkboards in university campuses, battlegrounds, code-breaking rooms, radar stations, Cold War research labs, and the offices of companies still thriving today and the shabby warehouses of the forgotten. In all those places, countless people breathed life into this little machine I am writing about today, each contributing a piece.
I still have many stories that I have not yet researched. Logical reasoning, Boolean algebra, diagonal arguments, Turing machines, looms, electric switches, transistors, mice, graphical interfaces... I have a fear that this might end up being an incomplete narrative since I haven't precisely determined how far I will go.
But still, I believe it's important to start, and I look forward with excitement to the episodes that will continue my story.
I hope the time I have spent drawing lines of understanding in my mind will be conveyed. And I hope this becomes a piece where I can share a little of the joy I felt whenever I sensed those lines connecting, even vaguely. Now, let’s go back in time.
Notes
As the series progresses, the content of previous articles may change slightly to maintain continuity and tone.
In general, I used "magic" rather than "sorcery" to illustrate computer-related concepts. This is because the concepts related to computers are not truly mysterious powers like magic. In fact, all principles can be explained, but from the viewer's perspective, it’s closer to magic.
Also, while writing this series, I was significantly influenced by the book "Xerox Palo Alto Research Center." I found the final line of that book quite resonant, which also used the term “magic.” Therefore, I chose to use "magic" rather than "sorcery."
It simply means that what PARC had in those extraordinary early days—perhaps will never be seen again in the world of science and technology—was magic.
Michael A. Hiltzik, translated by Lee Jaebum, "Xerox Palo Alto Research Center," 521p
When historical figures first appear prominently in the text, I provide their names in English as well. I acknowledge that this may not perfectly match the original names. For example, Aristotle’s name in the original text is Ἀριστοτέλης but is presented as Aristotle in English.
This practice also applies to the titles of various publications. I feel that expressing titles in a language that is relatively less spoken in our country would not be very helpful. I often get confused myself. Thus, I used the English-translated form of the titles in most cases.
For instance, Frege's "Begriffsschrift" is written as "Concept Notation" in English.
I will add more as needed throughout the series.
Footnotes
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It is said that Alan Kay, famous for his influence on object-oriented programming and UI design, was significantly affected by Marshall McLuhan's thoughts. ↩