Computers have come a long way from their humble beginnings in the 1940s. A single computer used to fill an entire room and it consumed as much energy as hundreds of modern-day computers.
Remarkably, the term “computer” is not as recent as many would suspect. Wikipedia tells us that the word was used in the 1600s to refer to men who carried out calculations. However, by the 19th century, technology was blossoming, and the human computer would soon be replaced by the mechanical computer. People can certainly execute a list of instructions, but the computer can complete that list, or program, millions of times faster. However, the computers we enjoy today are nothing like their humble ancestors.
The personal computer entered the picture in 1977. PC, as you can well imagine, did not stand for “portable computer” because these devices were large and heavy. But the new personal computers wowed the 1970’s generation. They were finally made public due to the ability to mass produce the microprocessor. Some recognizable brand names from this early period in computer history are the RadioShack TRS-80, Atari 800XL, and Apple II. In the late seventies, the PC was competing with gaming systems, and the early computer was also capable of game play. It could also run user-created programs, word processor, spreadsheets, and educational software. Not only was the users imagination enticed, moms felt good about allowing their children to learn from these sophisticated machines as well.
By the 1980s, IBM’s Personal Computer standardized the PC while Apple released the Macintosh. As performance was improving—graphics sound, storage—price was decreasing. People’s lives were revolutionizing. Mothers had recipe databases for cooking dinner and medical databases in case a child got injured. The family finances could be managed on the computer, making the check book as balanced as ever. Encyclopedias could be purchased on disks, saving the children endless trips to the library. And, of course, avid gamers owe their happiness to the personal computer.
Computers were doing more than simply making daily life easier, they were actually automating home life. Computers were not just for gaming and homework; they leaped out of the keyboard and screen into every mechanical aspect of the home. The 1980s brought about big dreams for what the computer was capable of: a coffee maker that could be programmed to turn on, home lighting that could be controlled via remote, and eventually robots that would service our every whim.
Computers are what make modern day home automation possible. Without the technology of the computer there would be no garage door openers, motion detectors, or multi room audio systems. Home Automation today hinges on on the capacity of computers. Our next article will discuss the home automation industry specifically and its advancements to make your life easier.
home automation, Mile High Automation, history, evolution of the home
Posted in General, Evolution of Home Automation