Atherton W.A. From Compass to Computer: A History of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Palgrave Macmillan, 1984. — 352 p. — ISBN 978-0333352687, 0333352688.This book presents to electrical and electronics engineers, technicians, and students ( or anyone interested in the development of technology) an easily digestible account of the development of their discipline. This history is known to those specialists, the historians of science and technology, whose job it is to study the subject in part and in depth, but it is relatively unknown to the majority of the electrical engineering fraternity. the aim of this book is to bring to them, readably presented in one book, an account of how their subject developed from its earliest day as two primitive sciences of electricity and magnetism to today's vast engineering applications.Foreword.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
Electricity and Magnetism to 1820.
Experimental Discoveries.
Evolution of Theory.
Electric Current.
The 1820s: Dawn of a New Age.
Oersted's Discovery.
Ampere and Others.
The Electromagnet.
Laws of Conduction.
Electromagnetism.
Michael Faraday.
Electromagnetic Theory.
Acceptance of Maxwell's Theory.
Relativity and Quanta.
Conclusion.
Telecommunications.
European Electromagnetic Telegraphs.
Telegraphy in America.
Social Impact.
Submarine Telegraphy.
Technical Improvements.
The Telephone.
Advancement of Theory.
The Modern Era.
Electric Lighting and Its Consequences.
The Rivals.
Arc Lamps Make a False Start.
Generators: Pixii to Gramme.
Commercial Arc Lighting.
The Incandescent Lamp.
Edison.
Swan.
Other Inventors.
Commercial Development.
Metal Filament Lamps.
Discharge, Fluorescent, and Other Lamps.
Impact of Electric Lighting.
Electrical Power.
DC Dynamo Design.
DC Motors.
AC Generators and Motors.
Traction.
Industrial Use.
Domestic Use.
Conclusion.
Radio.
Prehistory.
Radiotelegraphy.
Marconi.
Other Inventors.
Arcs and Alternators.
Electronic Radio.
FM Radio.
Television.
Radar.
Some Theories and Discoveries.
The Electron.
Magnetism.
Towards Information Theory.
Noise.
Electrical Units.
Miniaturization of Electronics.
Improvement of Understanding and of Materials.
The Transistor.
Miniaturization.
Field-effect Transistors (FETs).
Impact of Integrated Circuits.
Computers.
The Development Period.
Germany.
United States.
Britain.
The Computer Industry.
First Generation.
Second and Later Generations.
Minis and Micros.
Digital Logic Circuitry.
Programming Languages.
FORTRAN.
ALGOL.
COBOL.
PLj I and Others.
Conclusion.
A Technological Society.
Name Index.
Subject Index.