Generation of computers
- 1. Generation Of Computers Made By: Hadi Amer
- 2. HISTORY OF COMPUTERS • History of computers is a chain that runs from the ancient abacus and the analytical engine of the nineteenth century, through the modern computers of present age. • It is generally divided into five generations. • Each generation of computers is characterized by major technological developments of that time.
- 3. THE FIVE GENERATIONS First generation (1940-56) Second generation (1956-63) Third generation (1963-71) Fourth generation (1971-present) Fifth generation (present and beyond)
- 4. FIRST GENERATION COMPUTERS (1940-1956) • Vacuum tubes were used in the first generation computers. • Vacuum tubes generated so much heat that they had to be cooled by air conditioner. • Vacuum tubes burnt out very often and it was difficult to repair and maintain the computers of first generation . • Some examples of first generation computers are: • ENIAC , MARK 1 ,UNIVAC • CHARACTERSTICS: • First generation computers used vacuum tubes. • Speed was slow and memory was very small. • They were huge in size taking up entire room. • First generation computers were very expensive and unreliable. • First generation computers were very expensive and unreliable. • They consumed a lot of power and generated a lot of heat. • Input was based on punched cards. • Output was obtained on printouts through electric typewriter. • Machine language was used in these computers.
- 5. SECOND GENERATION COMPUTERS (1956-1963) • In 1947, three scientists, William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter • Brattain invented transistor. • Transistor functions like a vacuum tube. • It replaced the vacuum tubes in the second generation computers. • Transistor was faster, more reliable, smaller and much cheaper than vacuum tube. • Examples of second generation computers are: • UNIVAC II , IBM 7030 , 7780 and 7090 , NCR 300 series. • Characterstics: • Transistors were used instead of vacuum tubes. • Transistors reduced the size of computers and increased the speed and memory • capacity. • Computers became more reliable and cheaper. • Second generation computers used punch card readers, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks and printers. • Assembly language was used in these computers. • High level programming languages, FORTRAN and COBOL were introduced in this generation of computers.
- 6. THIRD GENERATION COMPUTERS (1963-1971) • Integrated Circuits (ICs) are also known as semiconductor chips . • IC chips were developed in early 1960s. • A single IC chip contains a large number of transistors. • Invention of IC chips was a great breakthrough in advancing computer technology. • Some examples of third generation computers are: • Burroughs 6700 , IBM System/360 , and Control Data Corporation’s 3300 and 6600 computers. • CHARACTERSTICS: • Third generation computers used IC chips. • IC chips improved the speed and memory of • computers. • Computers consumed less electricity, became smaller, • cheaper and more reliable than second generation computers. • Keyboard and monitor were used with the computer. • These computers could run different application programs at the same time.
- 7. FOURTH GENERATION COMPUTERS (1971-PRESENT) • In this generation of computers LSI (Large Scale Integration) and VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) chips having millions of transistors were developed. • Microprocessor was also developed in fourth generation of computers. • A microprocessor is a single chip that can handle all the processing of a computer. • Some examples of microprocessors developed in fourth generation of computers are: • Intel Pentium series , Dual Core , Core i3, i5, i7 and AMD Athlon. • Some examples of fourth generation computers are: • IBM ThinkPad series , HP Pavilion series, and Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air series. • CHARACTERSTICS: • Microprocessor was developed which resulted in the development of microcomputers. • Fourth generation computers are very fast, have large storage capacity and use advanced input/output devices. • Microcomputers are very small in size, very reliable, consume less power and are affordable. • Large variety of software is available for use in microcomputers. • Operating system having Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed in this generation. • These computers support multimedia software that combines text, image, sound and video. • These computers support modern programming languages such as Visual Basic, C++, Java and Python for developing powerful software. • Fourth generation computers support a large variety of portable and wireless input/output devices.
- 8. FIFTH GENEARATION COMPUTERS (PRESENT AND BEYOND) • The goal of fifth generation of computers is to develop devices that can understand natural languages and have thinking power. • This is a big challenge for computer developers and programmers to design such systems and software for them. • CHARACTERSTICS: • Fifth generation computes are based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). • In the fifth generation of computers, AI will minimize the need to write programs. • These computers will allow users to give commands in any natural language such as English.