History of Computers - Comptometer
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| The Comptometer |
By Chad Moss
Contents
History of Computers - Comptometer
Introduction
In 1889, Dorr Felt invented the first calculator that displayed the results. His invention, the comptometer, was revolutionary because of its ease of use and its ability to do a multitude of computations.
Overview
Comptometers were used to calculate currencies, time, and Imperial weight measurements[1]. The first comptometers were made of wood which made them fragile and not very durable. Later comptometers were made of metal and had more features than the early models. Some models had a correction knob to correct an input mistake made by the user.
Significance
The comptometer is significant to the history of computers because it was the first device to display the output number after the user input numbers and the mathematical functions. The comptometer was the first true calculator because of its ability to handle a wide range of computations. The comptometer was the direct decendant of the Pascaline. The comptometer has since been replaced by calculators on people's phones and computers.
