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A Brief History of Computing

  • Textbook
  • © 2026
  • Latest edition

Overview

Authors:
  1. Gerard O'Regan

    1. Mallow, Co. Cork, Ireland

  • Offers a comprehensive account of the history of computing
  • Traces the beginnings of computation from 3000 B.C. through to modern times
  • Includes helpful pedagogical elements such as exercises and chapter summaries
  • Does not require studies in computer science in order to be understood and appreciated

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About this book

This lively and fascinating text traces the key developments in computation – from 3000 B.C. to the present day – in an easy-to-follow and concise manner.

The book embarks upon a journey from ancient Egypt to modern times-- taking in mechanical calculators, early digital computers, to software engineering, to the first personal computers and mobile phones, and the invention of the World Wide Web, among other topics. This expanded and revised 4th edition examines legal and ethical issues that arise in the computing field, as well as innovations such as quantum computing and Bitcoin.

 

Topics and features:

  • Offers many pedagogical features such as chapter-opening key topics, chapter introductions and summaries, exercises, and a glossary
  • Discusses major figures such as Boole, Babbage, Shannon, Turing, and Von Neumann
  • Reviews early computers developed in the United States, Germany and Britain
  • Explores the development of the IBM 360 and the birth of the software industry
  • Reviews the history of software engineering, programming languages, and operating systems, and examines ethical software engineering
  • Investigates progress of the field of artificial intelligence, including ethical AI
  • Reviews the introduction of the personal computer, the World Wide Web, mobile phone technology, and ethical social media
  • Discusses innovations such as Bitcoin, quantum computing and nanotechnology
  • Examines legal and ethical aspects of computing, computer crime and cybersecurity

 

This clearly written and broad-ranging text gives the reader a flavour of the history and stimulates further study in the subject. As such, it will be of benefit to students of computer science, while also capturing the interest of the more casual reader.

Dr. Gerard O'Regan is an independent researcher and visiting professor with research interests in software quality and software process improvement, mathematical approaches to software quality, and the history of computing. He is the author of several Springer books including Concise Guide to Software Engineering, Mathematical Foundations of Software Engineering, and Ethical and Legal Aspects of Computing.

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Table of contents (25 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxxii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. What Is a Computer?

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 1-11

  3. Computing in Early Civilisations

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 13-36

  4. Foundations of Computing

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 37-53

  5. The First Digital Computers

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 55-72

  6. The First Commercial Computers

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 73-81

  7. Early Commercial Computers and the Invention of the Transistor

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 83-90

  8. Integrated Circuit and Silicon Valley

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 91-98

  9. The IBM System/360

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 99-105

  10. Minicomputers and Later Mainframes

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 107-115

  11. The Microprocessor Revolution

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 117-123

  12. Home Computers

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 125-142

  13. The IBM Personal Computer

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 143-149

  14. History of Operating Systems

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 151-163

  15. Birth of Software Industry and Human–Computer Interaction

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 165-185

  16. History of Programming Languages

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 187-210

  17. History of Software Engineering

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 211-246

  18. A Short History of Telecommunications

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 247-257

  19. The Internet Revolution

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 259-280

  20. The Smartphone and Social Media

    • Gerard O’Regan
    Pages 281-300
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Authors and Affiliations

  • Mallow, Co. Cork, Ireland

    Gerard O'Regan

About the author

Dr. Gerard O'Regan is a CMMI software process improvement consultant with research interests including software quality and software process improvement, mathematical approaches to software quality, and the history of computing. He is the author of such Springer textbooks as Concise Guide to Formal Methods, Concise Guide to Software Engineering, Guide to Discrete Mathematics, and Introduction to Software Quality

Accessibility Information

PDF accessibility summary

This PDF has been created in accordance with the PDF/UA-1 standard to enhance accessibility, including screen reader support, described non-text content (images, graphs), bookmarks for easy navigation, keyboard-friendly links and forms and searchable, selectable text. We recognize the importance of accessibility, and we welcome queries about accessibility for any of our products. If you have a question or an access need, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. Please note that a more accessible version of this eBook is available as ePub.

EPUB accessibility summary

This ebook is designed with accessibility in mind, aiming to meet the ePub Accessibility 1.0 AA and WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards. It features a navigable table of contents, structured headings, and alternative text for images, ensuring smooth, intuitive navigation and comprehension. The text is reflowable and resizable, with sufficient contrast. We recognize the importance of accessibility, and we welcome queries about accessibility for any of our products. If you have a question or an access need, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: A Brief History of Computing

  • Authors: Gerard O'Regan

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-04255-2

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Computer Science, Computer Science (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-032-04254-5Published: 03 January 2026

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-032-04255-2Published: 01 January 2026

  • Edition Number: 4

  • Number of Pages: XXXII, 435

  • Number of Illustrations: 43 b/w illustrations, 102 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: History of Computing, History of Technology, History of Science

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