Changes In My Lifetime - Technology

 COMPUTERS/TECHNOLOGY

The first computers 1950s

Difference engine wallpaper - Computer wallpapers - #36759

First personal IBM PC

A quick look back at the first IBM PC that launched 42 years ago today - Neowin

In September 1956, IBM released the first computer with a hard drive, the IBM 305 RAMAC. The machine weighed one ton and measured 16 square feet. The development of the hard drive was revolutionary and influenced how we use computers in the modern day. So…all during my educational years, 1960-1978, we did things the “old fashioned” way, by hand. Bic pens were released in 1950 and were not even present in my world until the late 1960s. I used pencil for everything, very large pencils in elementary school. I remember using the first cartridge ink pens in Jr. High. I was fairly efficient at changing the cartridge, but it could get messy at times.

 For school reports, we had to access the library and manually find information in books. I adored using the card catalogue and learning the Dewey decimal system, probably because I loved being a teacher’s aide in the 7th grade under the librarian, Mrs. Moore. Every book in the library was cross-referenced in the card catalogue. A report might involve perusing several books, making notes on 3x5 cards, organizing them, then handwriting out the report.

 In high school, I learned how to type. Typing was my favorite class and I was very proficient and fast. I learned on a manual typewriter, and eventually, the school purchased several electric typewriters. We had to rotate in order to have experience on the electric typewriter. We had competitions and I always had one of the best scores of how many words per minute with the least mistakes. Before I left for college, Mother and Daddy purchased me an electric typewriter. Corrections were done with correction film or White Out. With three or four long reports due each semester, that was a lot of work.