Ever wonder how we went from computation by hand to the complex and powerful computers, data centers, and cloud of today? In this episode of "Keyboard and Quill," hosts Tim Berglund and Rachel Pedreschi embark on part 1 (of 2) of a digital odyssey to trace the evolution of computing from its mechanical beginnings to the mainframes of the 1970s. We’ll explore historical milestones like Charles Babbage’s ambitious Difference Engine, through to the revolutionary advent of IBM’s mainframes, and the game-changing introduction of ARPANET and the early internet. Our journey doesn’t just look at hardware; it dives into the societal transformations driven by these technologies—how they’ve reshaped the way we work, communicate, and even think. Join us as we uncover how these technological leaps have fundamentally altered our digital landscape.

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SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Rachel Pedreschi and Claritype
Link: https://www.claritype.com

Frank King
Link: https://computerhistory.org/blog/restoring-the-ibm-1401

Bill Inmon
Link: https://datavox.ai

Dr. Doron Swade
Book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-history-of-computing-a-very-short-introduction-9780198831754

Coastal Kites for the music you heard in our interlude.

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Story by Tim Berglund and Rachel Pedreschi
Produced by Peter Furia, Noelle Gallagher, and Tim Berglund
Edited by Noelle Gallagher and Peter Furia
Original music and sound by Jeff Kite, keyboardist for The Voidz

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