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Coding, engineering computers and programming synonymize all words we describe writing a bunch of symbols, letters and numbers that a machine can understand. Such codes can result in the desired computer behaviour or outcome such as showing a menu or triggering an action. The programming facts will help you understand the things that make computer science.

The first Computer game

The first game was a Spacewar named OXO (1952) and Tennis Two (1958). The gameplay is simple. It offers players control over two fighter spaceships. To win the battle, you must destroy the opponent’s ship. Further, to win the game, you must avoid a small dot at the centre (represents a star). At that time, the game was popular although it never was a commercial success.

Learning to code can sharpen your cognitive skills

Like learning how to write, coding can benefit your brain. Learning programming languages can also reduce degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and dementia that affects seniors and aged individuals. Coding also allows you to solve problems and pay attention to small details.

The first computer virus

In 1986, the Pakistani brothers, Amjad and Basit Farooq Alvi made the world’s first computer virus. The siblings made the program to prevent customers from pirating copies of the software. Unlike most viruses today, the virus doesn’t cause trouble on computers such as deleting files or slowing performance.

The first computer bug

A bug may refer to an insect or a computer code error. Back in 1878, Thomas Edison used the term “bug” to refer to a technical error.

In 1947, the first case of a computer bug invaded the Mark II computer. Grace Hopper, a US admiral, discovered that a moth got stuck on the relay, thus, making the machine inoperable. She wrote down her discovery, writing – the “first actual bug has been found”.

FORTRAN: The first programming language

Formula Translation (FORTRAN) is the first programming language made in 1956 by a team lead by John Backus at IBM. It’s still used in numerical or scientific computations in Astrophysics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, geophysics, petroleum engineering and physics.

Ada Lovelace: The first programmer

Ada Lovelace, the daughter of poet Lord Byron, was a writer and mathematician. She worked with Charles Babbage in his difference engine and write the first computer program or algorithm. Sadly, her algorithm (a digram from Note G) was never used because Babbage’s engine was never completed.

Java was originally called Oak

Java was used to be called “Oak” from the oak tree outside of the office of James Gosling (one of the founders and lead designers of Java).  Later the term was changed to Java when Sun Microsystems found that there’s already a business named Oak. The name “Java” came from the java coffee (originally found in Java, Indonesia) which was drunk by the founders of the programming language.

Python isn’t named after the constricting snake

It looks the programming language was named after a constricting snake capable of swallowing an alligator. But, did you know, its maker Guido van Rossum named the language after Monty Python – a popular comedy series of BBC in the 1970s. He came up with the ‘Python” to express a short, slightly mysterious and unique name.

The secret to learning programming

Learning programming languages such as java, javascript, python, SQL, Ruby, PHP and others require a higher concentration skill. What does it mean? Well, you need to avoid distractions, focus on coding and sit for long hours.

Low level vs high-level languages

Low-level languages are confusing for humans while high-level languages resemble more the human language and are therefore easy to understand.

High level

• C#

• Delphi

• ECMAScrit

• Java

• Python

• Ruby

• Visual Basic

• Perl

Low level

• C and C++ (now considered as low-level languages because they have no automatic memory management)

• Assembly language

• COBOL

• Marie simulator

• Intel x86 assembler

• Machine code

Tags: C#, COBOL, computers, facts, FORTRAN, games, java, javascript, programming, Python, ruby, visualbasic