Two Centuries of Productivity Growth in Computing.
The present study analyzes computer performance over the last century and a half. Three results stand out. First, there has been a phenomenal increase in computer power over the twentieth century. Depending upon the standard used, computer performance has improved since manual computing by a factor...
| Published in: | Journal of Economic History Vol. 67; no. 1; pp. 128 - 160 |
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| Format: | Article |
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Cambridge University Press
March 2007
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| Summary: | The present study analyzes computer performance over the last century and a half. Three results stand out. First, there has been a phenomenal increase in computer power over the twentieth century. Depending upon the standard used, computer performance has improved since manual computing by a factor between 1.7 trillion and 76 trillion. Second, there was a major break in the trend around World War II. Third, this study develops estimates of the growth in computer power relying on performance rather than components; the price declines using performance-based measures are markedly larger than those reported in the official statistics. Reprinted by permission of the publisher. |
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