Charles Babbage, the father of computers, began developing the analytical engine in

1830. Computers have become smaller, lighter, faster, and easier to use since the first
functional, fully automatic, and programmable digital computer. Computers help us
understand the growth and progress of technology through the times. A computer is an
electronic machine that collects information, stores it, processes it according to user
instructions, and then returns the result. During the early times, computers didn’t exist.
People used sticks, stones and bones as tools before computers were invented.
Here is an overview of the early concepts and devices of computing devices:
Abacus (c. 2400 BC):
Its origin is from Mesopotamia. It is a wooden rack with metal rods and beads. You
operate the abacus by moving the beads according to certain guidelines to complete
your arithmetic computations. It is one of the earliest devices used for arithmetic
processes.
Napier’s Bone (17th Century):
The bones consist of a set of rods inscribed with multiplication tables. Each rod
corresponds to a digit (0-9). To multiply two numbers, the user aligns the rods
corresponding to the digits of one number and then sums the appropriate sections to
get the result. The rods simplify the process by breaking it down into manageable parts.
Pascaline (1642):
It was invented by Blaise Pascal. It was one of the earliest mechanical calculators. It
used gears and wheels to perform addition and subtraction directly.
Leibniz’s Stepped Reckoner (1673):
It was a digital mechanical calculator invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. It is an
improved mechanical calculator capable of performing addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. It utilized a stepped drum mechanism.
Jacquard Loom (1801):
Joseph Marie Jacquard invented a loom controlled by punched cards, which allowed for
the automatic weaving of complex patterns. It is a textile-weaving loom, it could also be
called the first practical information-processing device. The loom worked by tugging
various-colored threads into patterns by means of an array of rods.
Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine and Analytical Engine:
Difference Engine (1822):
It is a mechanical computer designed to automatically compute polynomial functions
using the finite differences method.
Analytical Engine (1837):
This is another calculating invention of Babbage which is considered as the first concept
of a general-purpose computer fully program-controlled, automatic mechanical digital
computer. It has an arithmetic logic unit, control flow through conditional branching and
loops, and memory.
Herman Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine (1890):
This machine was invented by Herman Hollerith where it used punched cards to store
data. This machine is used for census because it can compute statistics and record or
sorts of data or information.
Differential Analyzer (1930s):
This is an innovation of Vannevar Bush and his colleagues. It is an analog computer
meant to answer differential questions. It consists of vacuum tubes that use electrical
impulses to do calculations. It revealed the potential of analog computing for tackling
complicated mathematical problems, which influenced the development of succeeding
analog and digital computers.
Harvard Mark I (1944):
The Harvard Mark I by Aiken was one of the first electromechanical computers. It was a
general-purpose computer that could perform a variety of mathematical operations by
combining mechanical and electrical components.

Generations of Computers and Their Characteristics

First Generation (1940s - 1950s): Based on Vacuum Tubes
The first-generation computers used vacuum tubes as the main electronic part. They
used vacuum tubes for the circuitry. For memory, they used magnetic drums. They are
large and bulky machines and have high power consumption and slow processing
speeds. It is limited to basic arithmetic operations and simple logic operations. They
were mostly reliant on batch operating systems and punch cards. A list of popular first-
generation computers ENIAC, UNIVAC I, EDVAC, EDSAC and IBM 701.

Second Generation (1950s - 1960s): Based on Transistors

The invention of the transistor marked the official start of the second generation of
computers. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, resulting in smaller, quicker, and more
dependable computers. It is smaller than first-generation computers and consumes less
electricity and heat. It offers improved processing speed and reliability. In second-
generation computers, COBOL and FORTRAN are used as assembly and programming
languages. It is most utilized in corporate applications such as payroll processing and
inventory management.

Third Generation (1960s - 1970s): Based on Integrated Circuits (ICs)

In this generation of computers, transistors have been replaced by integrated circuits

(ICs). Minicomputers were introduced during this generation. Integrated Circuits (ICs)
combine numerous transistors on a single chip to dramatically increase computing
power. It has further lowered in size and cost while increasing dependability and
processing capability. It introduces more advanced operating systems. It's improved
capacity to run multiple apps and be used simultaneously. Its user interfaces become
more user-friendly. Some of the computing devices include IBM 360 series, PDP-8, and
UNIVAC 1108.

Fourth Generation (1970s - Present): Based on Microprocessors

The fourth generation of computers began with the invention of the microprocessor.
Microprocessors are chips that integrate all the computer's components. It is much
smaller, making personal computers conceivable. It dramatically increases processing
speed and efficiency. For the emergence of graphical user interfaces, which became
widely used in both personal and business applications. The advancement of
networking technology resulted in the rise of the internet. And as storage technology
advanced, it transitioned from floppy disks to hard drives, SSDs, and cloud storage. The
Intel 4004, Apple I and II, IBM PC, and current personal computers are examples of
fourth-generation technology.
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond): Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI):
Since 1980, computers have been used in many fields, including healthcare, finance,
and autonomous systems. The fifth generation of technology, which encompasses AI,
parallel processing, quantum computing, and nanotechnology, aspires to be as
intelligent as humans, capable of hearing, understanding, and working like them. This
generation is focused on creating computers that can understand natural language,
detect patterns, and learn from data. It has improved human-computer connection by
utilizing voice recognition, virtual assistants, and AI-powered automation. This fifth-
generation technology includes modern supercomputers, artificial intelligence-driven
systems such as IBM Watson, and experimental quantum computers.

Sources:

Gyaan, V. (2018, July 12). Generations of computers and their characteristics.

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