Today it is impossible to imagine a world without information technology. Computers and other digital technology have become an integral part of our lives, helping to not only ease our daily routine, but also to move science forward. That is why the day of computer science has taken its rightful place in a series of professional holidays.
What is "computer science"?
If we talk about the day of computer science, it is worth figuring out what it is. The term “computer science” itself was coined by the German Karl Steinbuch. It was formed by the merger of two words describing the essence of her research - “information” and “automation”.
Until the middle of the last century in European countries there was no single name for a scientific field that studies the work with data and computer technology. “Computer science”, “Management science”, “Fundamentals of scientific information”, even “Informology” and “Datalogy” are all separate specialties or components of computer science that describe one or more of its fields.
In Russia, the term "computer science" in different years had several meanings. Firstly, it is the collection, storage and analytical processing of information contained in documents. Secondly, the science of the use of computers, studying the information processes taking place in society, nature and technology.
The background of computer science
Considering the background of computer science, we can distinguish several stages of its development. The very first and universal way of transmitting information to each other was oral speech. This can be considered a prerequisite for the emergence of computer science. However, oral transmission turned out to be very imperfect and highly dependent on the human factor. The development of writing partially eliminated this problem, allowing you to store information in much larger volumes and transmit over long distances using mail.
The beginning of typography has become a new milestone in the development of information technology. Now data could be stored and reproduced on an industrial scale. Finally, the scientific and technological revolution gave the opportunity to transmit information via telephone, telegraph, television, radio. Photos and films helped to store data not only verbally and in writing, but also in a visual form. In addition, it was now possible to save information on magnetic media.
Computer science development
In fact, the day of computer science can be celebrated along with the date of the appearance of the very first computer, because without computer technology it would be impossible for computer science to appear as a science.
There is one property of modern computers, which allows you to process and store information in a universal form. The fact is that a computer processes data in the form of binary code, regardless of brand, version, or year of its release. Moreover, it does not matter in what form the information will be displayed: text, numbers, video, audio - all this is divided into zero and one units inside the computer, and then it is collected again.
Now computer science as a science has combined several different technical disciplines: from cybernetics and programming to information protection, mathematical modeling. That is why informatics day in Russia can be celebrated not only by computer science teachers, but also by system administrators, programmers, and even accountants.
The birth of computer science in Russia
Why is December 4, the day of computer science, celebrated in Russia? It all started in the late 1940s, when many publications on electronic computers began to appear in foreign journals. Academician I.S. Brooke was keenly interested in this topic and decided to participate in a seminar dedicated to her.
Together with B.I. Rameev (he was an engineer and his junior assistant at that time), Brooke developed an automatic digital machine. It happened in August 1948. Already in October of the same year, these scientists proposed a project for organizing a special laboratory on the basis of the Academy of Sciences that would design and build a digital computer. After only a few months, I.S. Brooke and B.I. Rameev were officially registered as the inventors of the first Soviet computer. With this paper, issued December 4, 1948, the development of computer technology in the Soviet Union began. From that moment it is believed that December 4 is the day of computer science in Russia.
How is Informatics Day celebrated in Russia?
According to tradition, once a year, December 4, the day of computer science in Russia is celebrated in schools and various educational institutions. A lesson is held in the classroom dedicated to this holiday, called "World Hour of Code." This is done so that as many students as possible become interested in computer science, information technology, and also to increase the prestige of the IT sphere.
Officially, Informatics Day is not considered a day off, like other professional dates. However, everyone whose work is at least slightly connected with this exact science can consider it their holiday.
Computer Science Day Greetings
If the calendar is December 4, the day of computer science, you should definitely congratulate those employees, acquaintances or relatives who are associated with this science. Do not forget about the inconspicuous workers thanks to whom your office functions: these are system administrators, programmers and just technical support specialists. After all, if you rarely see them, it means that these people are doing their job perfectly and the office functions like a clock.
Well, if it happened that you yourself are working in the IT field, then be sure to congratulate all your colleagues, because they are somehow related to computer science. And how to do this depends on your creativity.