Generation of Computers

First Generation Computers (1951-1958):

The first generation of computers was marked by the use of

vacuum tube for the electronic components and by the use of
either electrostatic tubes (i.e., cathode ray tubes) or mercury
delay lines for storage.
Examples of such first-generation machines are EDSAC
(operational in 1949), SEAC (1950, the first stored program
computer operational in the US), EDVAC (1951) and IAS
(1952).
This generation lasted until the end of the 1950s and computer
in this era had their basis in wired circuitry and thermionic
valves.

The features of First-generation computers are:

1. These were quite large and because they generated a lot of

heat, required special housing.
2. These were very expensive.
3. The medium of internal storage was magnetic drum.

Disadvantages/Demerits:

1. Thousands of vacuum tubes that were used emitted large

amount of heat and burnt out frequently.
2. Air conditioning was required because of intense emission of
heat.
3. Constant maintenance required.
4. These were non-portable.
5. Very huge & prone to frequent hardware failures.
6. These were unreliable.
7. Commercial production of these types of computers was
difficult and costly.
8. These computers were of limited commercial use.
9. Manual assembly of individual components into functioning
unit required.
10. Too bulky in size.

Second Generation Computers (1955-

1964):

The transistor, a smaller and more reliable successor to the

vacuum tube, was invented in 1947. However, computers that
used transistors were not produced in quantity until over a
decade later. The second generation emerged with transistors
being the brain of the computer.
With both the first and the second-generation computers, the
basic component was a discrete or separate entity. The many
thousands of individual components had to be assembled by
hand into functioning circuits. The manual assembly of
individual components and the cost of labour involved at this
assembly stage made the commercial production of these
computers difficult and costly.

Features:

1. Care storage took over from magnetic drum as the main

medium for internal storage.
2. Machines started to evolve as series rather than as
standalone processors.
3. In comparison with the previous generation computers, they
were smaller in size and generated less heat.
4. Internal storage capacity was increased and processor
speeds started to be measured in microseconds rather than
milliseconds, i.e., millionths rather than thousands of a second.

Disadvantages/Demerits:

1. Frequent maintenance required for second generation

computers.
2. Manual assembly of individual components into a functioning
unit was required.
3. Commercial production was difficult and costly.
4. Air conditioning required.

Third Generation Computers (1964-1975):

These were characterised by integrated solid state circuitry,

improved secondary storage devices, and new input and output
devices like visual display terminals, magnetic ink readers and
high-speed printers which resulted in increased capability and
utility to perform operations. The use of IC chips increased the
speed of these computers by the factor of 10,000 over the
first-generation computers.
The arithmetic and logic operations were now performed in
microseconds (millionths of a second) or even Nano-seconds
(billionths of a second). Besides, these capabilities of these
computers were increased to a great extent by the addition of
external devices. The size and cost of these computers have
decreased considerably. These computers were called Minis.
Mini computers have appeared in the market and use of
computers expanded widely to large business and industrial
organisations in this period. Computers of this generation were
such that they support multi programming and multi-
processing. In Hyderabad, M/S Electronic Corporation of India
Limited (ECIL) developed TDC-3/2, TDC-316, and TDC-S32
third generation computers. 312 stands for third generation
12-bit computer.
Similarly, 16 and 32 in TDC-316 and TDC-332 stands for 16-bit
computer and 32-bit computer respectively.
Some of the third-generation computers were Boroughs 5700.
6700, 7700 models, GE 600 series, GE 235, IBM 360 and 370
series. UN I VAC 1108, 9000 series, TDC-312, 316, 332.

Features:

1. These computers lead to increased internal core memory

capacity.
2. Processor speeds are rated in nanoseconds, i.e., one
thousand of microseconds.
3. Ranges of computers came into being, e.g., IBM–360, ICL-
1900. Models within these ranges were designed to be
‘upwards compatible’ thereby enabling systems developed for
the lower models in the range to move up the line with limited
modification.
4. Limited communications. facilities became available.
5. The use of high-level languages became common, e.g.,
COBOL, FORTRAN and PL/1.
6. Further reductions in size.
7. Increased emphasis on the use of disk as a backing store
medium and substantially reduced cost per megabyte.
8. The cost performance factor has improved significantly.

Disadvantages/Demerits:
1. These were highly sophisticated technology required for the
manufacture of IC chip.
2. Air conditioning required in many cases.

Fourth Generation Computers (1975-1990):

These computers came into existence around 1975 and use

large scale integrated (LSI) circuits. A single silicon chip of LSI
has thousands of ICs built on it. Later, very large scale
integrated (VLSI) circuits replaced LSI circuits. A computer
which earlier used to occupy a room is now placed on a desk
top, or in a brief case.
The computer memory is of two types: fixed one of
semiconductor material and removable one in the form of a
magnetic diskette called a floppy diskette. An extensive
development has also taken place towards graphical display of
data.
A personal computer (PC) is an example of a fourth-generation
computer. Its CPU is called microprocessor, which is fabricated
on a single semiconductor chip. The use of a computer is now
extended to almost anything as making a calculation; train
reservations, air reservations, medical scanning, etc.
The making of a calculator is called an off-line use of a
computer. In train reservations the computer becomes part of
a network of computers, and forms an on-line use of a
computer. The price of a PC is so low that it may easily be
acquired by an individual.

Features:

1. These computers were better with less price and high

performance.
2. Core storage, based on small rings of ferromagnetic
material, has been replaced by semiconductor memory based
on the silicon chip. This has led to great expansion in the
amount of memory available typically of megabytes.
3. The availability and enormous popularity of personal and
home computers.
4. Cheaper and bigger backing storage devices. Typically,
single disk drives with the capacity of 500-1000 megabytes as
against about 10 percent of that figure previously.
5. Sophisticated systems software operating systems such as
ICL’s VME and data base management systems such as IDMS.
6. Hardware which in many cases will operate in a normal
office environment.
7. Further reductions in the size of the hardware.

Disadvantages/Demerits:

1. Highly sophisticated technology required for the

manufacture of the LSI chips.

Fifth Generation Computers (1990-present):

The computers of 1990s are said to be fifth generation

computers. They are fast in terms of execution of a program on
the computer. A fifth-generation computer is said to do parallel
processing of several operations through opening of a number
of windows, (opening of a number of windows is done in the
UNIX system, and not in the DOS system).
For instance, it may be executing or running a program in one
window, editing a program in another window, and viewing the
results of an earlier execution in yet another window. It can
also efficiently run a number of programs from a number of
input terminals simultaneously. Graphics software’s, such as
interactive data language (IDL), are available for an effective
graphical representation of results.

Features:

1. Increased miniaturization.
2. Applications, include artificial intelligence, robots large scale
corporate modelling, oil exploration, whether system
modelling, star-wars systems, and personal robots.
3. Auto decisions.
4. non-procedural software.
5. Multi point input/output.
6. High speed.
7. Large storage facility.
8. Super and ultra-personal computer.
9. Decreasing costs of software.
10. Organic chips.
11. Decreasing costs of hardware.
12. Vast improvements in the price performance ratio