Traces the emergence and development of the computer industry in the United States Originally a military and scientific computational tool of a small number of government, scientific, and corporate elites in the late 1940s, the computer has evolved significantly in less than seventy years to become a revolutionary technology and the basis for one the largest industries. The Internet, email and the personal computer have become necessities in most offices and college rooms and many homes. Narrative chapters trace the emergence and development of the computer industry in the United States as seen in the economic, historical, and social context of its times from the early twentieth century to the present. From punched cards and tabulating machines to the first digital computer companies in the early 1950s, Yost describes how the concept of the computer was born in the late 1800s but did not evolve into the personal computer until the late 1970s and 1980s. The computer has emerged from a relatively narrow scientific computational machine to a vast data processing and communication technology. Subjects discussed include: well-known names such as IBM and Bill Gates, Apple and Macintosh; the internet and the world wide web; the mainframe digital computer; the invention of the transistor; software development; supercomputing and minicomputing. The book includes an appendix of over twenty company profiles of key businesses in the industry, a timeline, and suggestions for further reading and research. Ideal for students and general readers interested in the development of computers and the history of the computer industry.. Part of the Emerging Industries in the United States series. Provides a history of an industry that has grown exponentially over the last 20 years. Surveys a high-interest topic; the majority of people have access to a personal computer, email and the internet