College of engineering

Department of software engineering

Introduction to software engineering
Individual assignment

Section- C

STUDENT NAME: Sara Redwan

ID No. :ETS 1241/16
 1) Write and briefly discuss the evolutions of computers.
Computer evolution tells the historical development of computing devices and systems which are divi
ded into five generations, ranging from early mechanical tools to modern digital and quantum equipm
ent. It is as you were watching technology be born and then grow to a state we know now. Each stage
brought revolutionary innovations and changes to our lives, from the basic abacus to AI-driven quantu
m computers that dramatically changed what was possible in work and life. It is a journey filled with c
ontinuous innovation and change.
Today, computers have developed so much; Simple tools for early calculations like the abacus. In the
1830s, British mathematician Charles Babbage designed a more general-purpose computer he called a
n Analytical Engine.
Fast forward to the 1940s, and here we have ENIAC, the first general purpose electronic computer. Pa
ris-Diex was also built of vacuum tubes, those enormous and power-hungry devices. Transistors beca
me the replacement for vacuum tubes in computers during the 1950s and with that, reduced their size
more drastically than before.
1960s: The arrival of integrated circuits, which crammed a bunch of transistors into tiny chips This res
ulted in even smaller and powerful computers. The 70s saw the microprocessor such as Intel 4004 whi
ch packed the CPU onto chip oceans. This was then followed by personal computers in the 1980s whe
re classics likes Apple II and IBM PC started emerging.
Our best scientists have developed several inventions and developments that have shaped the amazing
journey of computer development over several decades. We currently use the newest computer techno
logy thanks to these scientists.
Nowadays, we use laptops, desktop computers, notebooks, and other devices to make our lives easier.
Most significantly, these devices allow us to contact with people from anywhere in the world.
Understanding the progress of computing technology requires knowledge of computer generations. It
separates the history of computers into eras characterized by significant developments in processing p
ower, software, and hardware. Thus, the first computer era began with the first generation of computer
s in 1940.
2) What are the different computer generations?
The generation of classified into five generations:
1. First Generation Computer (1940-1956)
2. Second Generation Computer (1956-1963)
3. Third Generation Computer(1964-1971)
4. Fourth Generation Computer(1971-Present)
5. Fifth Generation Computer(Present and Beyond)

3) Briefly discuss the technology and programming language used in each generation.

1. First Generation
The first-generation computers used vacuum tubes as their core technology. They were extremely larg
e in size and heavy.

● They used a low-level programming language called machine language.

● There was an absence of an operating system .
● Primary uses were storage, calculation, and control.
● These computers consumed a lot of electricity and space (nearly an entire room).
● They generated a significant amount of heat. Hence, they required a large cooling system.
● The storage capacity was very low.

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Characteristics
Memory: Magnetic tapes and magnetic drums
Input/Output Devices: Paper tapes and punch cards
Speed: Extremely slow
Examples
➔ ENIAC: Its full form is Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. J. Presper Eckert and
John V. Mauchly developed ENIAC, a general-purpose computer with 18,000 vacuum tubes.
➔ EDVAC: Von Neumann designed EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Compute
r). It was one of the first stored-program computers, which stored data as instructions.
➔ UNIVAC: Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC) is another computer developed by Eck
ert and Mauchly in 1952.
2. Second Generation
The second-generation computers replaced vacuum tubes with tiny components called transistors. The
y were much smaller than vacuum tubes. Hence, they made second-generation computers more compa
ct and smaller in size than first-generation computers.

● Second-generation computers leveraged assembly languages rather than machine language.

● They also employed a few high-level languages, such as FORTRAN, ALGOL, and COBOL.
● The use of transistors dissipated less heat and consumed less power.
● The magnetic core technology helps these computers store instructions in memory.
● Calculations were just a matter of microseconds.
● These computers included an operating system.
● They required time-to-time maintenance.
● A cooling system was a must.
Characteristics

Memory: Magnetic core and magnetic tape/disk

Input/Output Devices: Paper tapes and punch cards
Speed: Faster than first-generation computers
Examples

➔ Some major examples of second-generation computers involve UNIVAC-1108, IBM-7070, I

BM-1400 series, IBM-1600 series, IBM-7000 series, CDC-1604, and Honeywell-400.

3. Third Generation
Third-generation computers took a drastic shift from transistors to integrated circuits (ICs). An IC is a
semiconductor chip with multiple transistors placed on it. The foremost features of this generation of
computers were speed and reliability.

● ICs typically include transistors, resistors, and capacitors on a single silicon chip.
● Third-generation computers used high-level languages like COBOL, FORTRAN - II to IV, B
ASIC, ALGOL-68, and PASCAL PL/1.
● There was an increase in memory or storage capacity.
● ICs significantly reduced the size of computers.
● These computers included more sophisticated operating systems.
● They had high processing speed and improved overall performance.
● They supported complex calculations and faster program execution.
● Third-generation computers generated significantly less amount of heat and consumed less po
wer.

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 ● They required a cooling system.
Characteristics

Memory: Large magnetic core and magnetic tape/disk

Input/Output Devices: Magnetic tape, monitor, keyboard, printer, etc.
Speed: Faster and more reliable than the computers of the previous generation
Examples

➔ Popular examples of third-generation computers include IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, NCR 3
95, B6500, and UNIVAC 1108.

4. Fourth Generation
Microprocessors were the core technology of the fourth-generation computers. The primary advantage
of this technology was that a microprocessor served as a single chip to perform arithmetic, logic, and
control functions.
A microprocessor, at that time, was based on Large Scale Integration and Very Large Scale Integratio
n (VLSI). It was a combination of several integrated circuits (ICs).

● Fourth-generation computers were very compact in size because of microprocessors.

● They leveraged high-level programming languages , such as C, C++, etc.
● Time-sharing, network-based, distributed, multiprocessing, and multiprogramming operating
systems were used.
● These computers have introduced the concept of personal computers (PCs) and computer net
works.
● They were highly energy-efficient, faster, and reliable.
● The amount of heat generated was also reduced greatly, which was almost negligible.
● There was no use of a cooling system. Instead, computers had a built-in cooling fan.
Characteristics
Memory: Semiconductor memory, such as RAM, ROM, etc.
Input/Output Devices: Keyboard, printer, optical scanner, mouse, pointing devices, etc.
Speed: Extremely faster than previous generations
Examples

➔ IBM-5100, STAR-1000, APPLE II, IBM-4341, PDP-11, DEC-10, CRAY-1, CRAY-X.MP, A

pple Macintosh, and Alter-8800 are some examples of fourth-generation computers.

5. Fifth Generation
The latest and current generation of computers uses artificial intelligence as their core technology. In
addition, they leverage ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology, which transformed the devel
opment of microprocessors. With the help of ULSI, a microprocessor can combine millions of electro
nic devices.
● Fifth-generation computers are known for their speed, reliability, and performance.
● Their size is smaller than previous generation computers, while the areas of use have increase
d significantly.
● They support high-level languages, such as C, C++, Java, .Net, etc.
● They also understand and interpret human language.
● These computers are highly smart and can handle multitasking efficiently.
Characteristics

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Input/Output Devices: Trackpad, touchscreen, microphone, keyboard, monitor, scanner, printer, mo
use, etc.
Speed: Extremely fast
Examples

Desktops, laptops, Notebooks, Chromebook, tablets, etc., are examples of fifth-generation computers.
4) Compare and contrast each computer generation.
Generation Time Period Key technology Characteristics

First generation 1940s-1950s Vacuum tubes Large size ,high power c

onsumption,lot of heat , l
ow reliability, high cost

Second generation 1950s-1960s Transistors Smaller size, lower powe

r consumption, more reli
able, cheaper than vacuu
m tubes

Third generation 1960s-1970s Integrated circuits Even smaller size, increa

sed reliability,lower cost
,more complex consump
tion

Fourth generation 1970s-present Microprocessor Very small size,high relia

bility, very low cost,wisp
read use in personal PCs

Fifth generation Present and future AI and quantum computi Extremely advanced, lear
ng ning capabilities, solving
complex problems, futur
e tech

Reference
● The Evolution Of Computer | Generations Of Computer - C.S. Point

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● Generations of Computer - The Evolution of Computers
● https://www.techgeekbuzz.com/blog/generations-of-computer/