Networks, the Fifth Generation and Review

The Big Timeline: Review and Turning Points

Build a map connecting events with significance instead of memorizing isolated years.

In this lesson

Lesson goals

Build a map connecting events with significance instead of memorizing isolated years.

The idea explained

Review the sequence of questions: mechanize arithmetic, change instructions, accelerate switching, store programs, shrink circuits, reach individuals and connect them. Classify each milestone as theory, design, successful operation, product announcement or adoption. When two sources give different dates, check whether they describe the same event. A construction date and public announcement date can both be correct.

Dates and milestones

1642 → 1801 → 1834 → 1843: mechanical arithmetic, control cards, general design, programming vision.
1890 → 1936 → 1941: data tabulation, computation theory, relay computing.
1944 → 1946 → 1948: Colossus, ENIAC’s public demonstration, Baby’s stored program.
1947 → 1958/1959 → 1971: transistor, integrated circuit, microprocessor; a component timeline overlapping machine history.
1977 → 1981 → 1984: personal-computing releases, IBM PC, Macintosh.
1969 → 1983 → 1989 → 1993: ARPANET, TCP/IP, Web proposal, Web software release.

Why was this a turning point?

Five relationships explain the story: instructions broaden tasks, electronics accelerate switching, integration shrinks hardware, software and interfaces broaden audiences, and networks broaden access.

Activity: try before reading the answer

Final assessment: 1) Why is one computer-birthday date insufficient? 2) What do 1947 and 1948 represent here? 3) Is the Web the Internet? 4) Defend your most important turning point with an example and source.

Answer and explanation

1) Definitions and milestones differ. 2) 1947 marks the point-contact transistor; 1948 marks Baby’s electronically stored program run. 3) The Web operates over the Internet. 4) Award one point each for an accurate event, explanation, example and reliable source. Final project: ten timeline cards, each with date, people, problem, solution, impact and source.