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Fundamentals of Computers and IT

Paper Code 105
UNIT – 1
By: Ms. Yogita Thareja

Computer Generations
(Chapter 1: P. K. Sinha)
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Introduction to Computers and IT

UNIT – 1
Fundamentals of Computers:

Definition and Characteristics of Computer System, Computer Generation from First Generation to Fifth
Generation. Classifications of Computers: Micro, Mini, Mainframe and super computers.

Computer Hardware: Major Components of a digital computer, Block Diagram of a computer, Input-
output devices, Description of Computer Input Units, Output Units, CPU.

Computer Memory: Memory Hierarchy, Primary Memory - RAM and its types, ROM and its types,
Secondary Memory, Cache Memory, Secondary Storage Devices- Hard disk, Compact Disk, DVD, Flash
memory.
3 Introduction to Computers and IT
TEXT BOOKS

[TB1] P. K. Sinha & Priti Sinha , “Computer Fundamentals”, BPB Publications, 1992.
[TB2] Anita Goel “Computer Fundamentals”, Pearson.

REFERENCE BOOKS

[RB1] B. Ram Computer fundamentals Architecture and Organization, New Age Intl.
[RB2] Alex Leon & Mathews Leon, “Introduction to Computers”, Vikas Publishing .
[RB3] Norton Peter, “Introduction to computers”, 4th Ed., TMH, 2001.
[RB4] Vikas Gupta, “Comdex Computer Kit”, Wiley Dreamtech, Delhi, 2004.

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 Learning Objectives
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In this session you will learn about:

 Computers’ evolution to their present form

 Computer generations
 Characteristic features of each computer generation
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The Evolution/History of Computers
Until the development of the first generation computers based on vacuum tubes, there had been
several developments in the computing technology related to the mechanical computing devices.

The key developments that took place till the first computer was developed are as follows—

 Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical adding machine in 1642

 Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz invented the first calculator for multiplication in 1671
 Keyboard machines originated in the United States around 1880
 Around 1880, Herman Hollerith came up with the concept of punched cards that were extensively
used as input media until late 1970s
 Charles Babbage, Prof at Cambridge, is considered to be the father of modern digital computers
• He designed “Difference Engine” in 1822
• He designed a fully automatic analytical engine in 1842 for performing basic arithmetic
functions
• His efforts established a number of principles that are fundamental to the design of any digital
computer
6 Example of Well Known Early Computers
 The Mark I Computer (1937-44)
 The ENIAC (1943-46)
 The EDVAC (1946-52)
 The EDSAC (1947-49)
 Manchester Mark I (1948)
 The UNIVAC I (1951)
7 Computer Generations
 “Generation” in computer talk is a step in technology.
 It provides a framework for the growth of computer industry
 Originally it was used to distinguish between various hardware
technologies, but now it has been extended to include both
hardware and software
 Till today, there are five computer generations
 The First Generation(1942-1955)
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Key Hardware and Software technologies
The first generation computers made use of:
 Vacuum tube technology
 Punched cards for data input, storage and for output Vacuum Tube
 Machine and Assembly Languages used for writing programs
 The concept of operating systems was not known at that time
Key Characteristics
 The computers of the first generation were very bulky and emitted
large amount of heat which required air conditioning.
Punched Card
 They were large in size and cumbersome to handle. They had to be
Example
manually assembled and had limited commercial use.
 The Second Generation(1955-1964)
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Key Hardware and Software technologies
In the second generation computers:
 Vacuum tube technology was replaced by transistor technology
 Magnetic core memory introduced. Magnetic tapes and disks were used for secondary storage
 Size of the computers started reducing
Transistor
 High level language started being used in place of machine language
 Introduction of Batch Operating system
Key Characteristics
 These computers were smaller, faster, more reliable and more energy efficient
than first generation computers.
Example
 Commercial production of such computers were still difficult and costly.
 SSI
The Third Generation (1964-1975) MSI
LSI
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Key Hardware and Software technologies
ULSI
 The 3rd generation computers replaced transistors with Integrated Circuit known as chip Integrated
Circuit(ICs)
 From Small Scale Integrated Circuits (SSI) which had 10 transistors per chip, technology
developed to MSI(Medium Scale Ics) circuits with 100 transistors per chip
 Larger magnetic cores memory introduced
 For secondary storage, large capacity disks and magnetic tapes were introduced
 Introduction of time sharing OS. High level programming language was the standard language
Key Characteristics
 These computers were smaller, faster, more reliable and cheaper than Example

the previous generation computers

 Commercial production became easier and cheaper
 The Fourth Generation (1975-1989)
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Key Hardware and Software technologies
 The Fourth Generation based on Large Scale Integration (LSI) technology which could fit hundreds of
components on one chip and Very Large Scale integration (VLSI) which squeezed thousand of
components on one chip. As a result microprocessors came into existence
 The computers using this technology known to be Micro Computers VLSI ICs
 Higher capacity storage media like magnetic hard disks were developed
 Introduction of OS with powerful GUI, Multi-Processing OS, UNIX OS with C Lang
Key Characteristics
 These computers were more powerful, smaller, faster, more reliable and cheaper than
Example
the previous generation computers
 Commercial production became easier and cheaper
 There is great development in data communication
 The Fifth Generation (1989-Present)
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Key Hardware and Software technologies
 The Fifth Generation was based on Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI) technology which could fit
millions of components on one chip.
 Higher capacity storage media like magnetic hard disks with RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disk)
support, optical disks were developed
 Use of parallel processor Example
 Introduction of multimedia, Internet

Key Characteristics
 These computers were more powerful, smaller, faster, more reliable and cheaper than
than previous generation computers
 Portable computers, powerful supercomputers
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Computer Generations
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