Computer Generations

The history of computers is often categorized into distinct generations, each marked
by significant technological advancements. It's important to note that the boundaries
between these generations can be somewhat blurred, as technological advancements
often occur gradually.

The modern computer took its shape with the arrival of your time. It had been around
the 16th century when the evolution of the computer started. The initial computer
faced many changes, obviously for the betterment. It continuously improved itself in
terms of speed, accuracy, size, and price to urge the form of the fashionable day
computer.

The main characteristics of first generation of computers (1940s-1950s)

The technology behind the primary generation computers was a fragile glass
device, which was called a vacuum tube. These computers were very heavy
and really large. These weren’t very reliable and programming on them was a
tedious task as they used low-level programming language and used no OS.
First-generation computers were used for calculation, storage, and control purpose.
They were too bulky and large that they needed a full room and consumed a lot of
electricity. Punch cards were used for improving the information for external storage.
Magnetic card used . Machine and assembly language is developed.

●​ Main electronic component – vacuum tube

●​ Main memory – magnetic drums and magnetic tapes
●​ Programming language – machine language
●​ Power – consumes a lot of electricity and generates
a lot of heat.
●​ Speed and size – very slow and very large in size
(often taking up the entire room).
●​ Input/output devices – punched cards and paper
tape.
●​ Examples – ENIAC, UNIVAC1, IBM 650, IBM 701, etc.
●​ Quantity – there were about 100 different vacuum tube computers produced
between 1942 and1963.

Second Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of second generation of computers (1950s-1960s)

Transistors were invented in Bell Labs. The use of transistors made it

possible to perform powerfully and with due speed. It reduced the
dimensions and price and thankfully the warmth too, which was
generated by vacuum tubes. Central Processing Unit
(CPU), memory, programming language, and input, and
output units also came into the force within the second
generation.

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The programming language was shifted from high level to programming language and
made programming comparatively a simple task for programmers. Languages used for
programming during this era were FORTRAN (1956), ALGOL (1958), and COBOL
(1959).

●​ Main electronic component – transistor

●​ Memory – magnetic core and magnetic tape / disk
●​ Programming language – assembly language
●​ Power and size – low power consumption, generated less heat, and smaller in
size (in comparison with the first generation computers).
●​ Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the first
generation computers).
●​ Input/output devices – punched cards and magnetic tape.
●​ Examples – IBM 1401, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107, etc.

Third Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of third generation of computers (1960s-1970s)

During the third generation, technology envisaged a shift from huge

transistors to integrated circuits, also referred to as IC. Here a
variety of transistors were placed on silicon chips, called
semiconductors. The most feature of this era’s computer was speed
and reliability. IC was made from silicon and also called silicon chips.

The computer programs were designed to make the machine

work. Operating system was a program designed to handle a
machine completely. Because of the operating system, machines
could execute multiple jobs simultaneously. Integrated circuits

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were used to replace many transistors used in the second generation.

●​ Main electronic component – integrated circuits (ICs)

●​ Memory – large magnetic core, magnetic tape / disk
●​ Programming language – high level language (FORTRAN, BASIC, Pascal,
COBOL, C, etc.)
●​ Size – smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than second generation computers
(they were called minicomputers).
●​ Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the second
generation computers).
●​ Input / output devices – magnetic tape, keyboard, monitor,
printer, etc.
●​ Examples – IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108,
etc.

Fourth Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers (1970s-present)

In 1971 First microprocessors were used, the

large-scale of integration LSI circuits built on one chip
called microprocessors. The advantage of this
technology is that one microprocessor can contain all
the circuits required to perform arithmetic, logic, and
control functions on one chip. LSI placed thousands of
transistors onto a single chip.

The computers using microchips were called microcomputers. This generation

provided an even smaller size of computers, with larger capacities. That’s not enough,

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then Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits replaced LSI circuits. The Intel 4004
chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the pc from the central
processing unit and memory to input/ output controls on one chip and allowed the
dimensions to reduce drastically. VLSI placed several hundred thousand transistors on
a single silicon chip. This silicon chip is known as the microprocessor.

Technologies like multiprocessing, multiprogramming, time-sharing, operating speed,

and virtual memory made it a more user-friendly and customary device. The concept
of private computers and computer networks came into being within the fourth
generation.

●​ Main electronic component – very large-scale

integration (VLSI) and microprocessor.
●​ VLSI– thousands of transistors on a single microchip.
●​ Memory – semiconductor memory (such as RAM,
ROM, etc.)
○​ RAM (random-access memory) – a type of data storage (memory
element) used in computers that temporary stores of programs and data
(volatile: its contents are lost when the computer is turned off).
○​ ROM (read-only memory) – a type of data storage used in computers
that permanently stores data and programs (non-volatile: its contents are
retained even when the computer is turned off).
●​ Programming language – high level language (Python, C#, Java, JavaScript,
Rust, Kotlin, etc.).
○​ A mix of both third- and fourth-generation
languages
●​ Size – smaller, cheaper and more efficient than
third generation computers.

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 ●​ Speed – improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in comparison with
the third generation computers).
●​ Input / output devices – keyboard, pointing devices, optical scanning, monitor,
printer, etc.
●​ Network – a group of two or more computer systems linked together.
●​ Examples – IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh, etc.

Fifth Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers (the present and the
future)

The technology behind the fifth generation of computers is AI. It allows computers to
behave like humans. It is often seen in programs like voice recognition, area of
medicine, and entertainment. Within the field of game playing also it’s shown
remarkable performance where computers are capable of beating human competitors.

The speed is the highest, size is the smallest and area of use has remarkably increased
within the fifth generation computers. Though not a hundred percent AI has been
achieved to date but keeping in sight the present developments, it is often said that this
dream also will become a reality very soon.

To summarize the features of varied generations of computers, it is often said that a

big improvement has been seen so far because of the speed and accuracy of
functioning care, but if we mention the dimensions, it’s been small over the years. The
value is additionally diminishing and reliability is increasing.

●​ Main electronic component: based on artificial

intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration
(ULSI) technology and parallel processing method.
○​ ULSI – millions of transistors on a single
microchip

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 ○​ Parallel processing method – use two or more microprocessors to run
tasks simultaneously.
●​ Language – understand natural language (human language).
●​ Power – consume less power and generate less heat.
●​ Speed – remarkable improvement of speed,
accuracy and reliability (in comparison with the
fourth generation computers).
●​ Size – portable and small in size, and have a
huge storage capacity.
●​ Input / output device – keyboard, monitor,
mouse, trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognise voice
/ speech), light scanner, printer, etc.
●​ Example – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

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 References

https://opentextbc.ca/computerstudies/chapter/classification-of-generations-of-comput
ers/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/generations-of-computers-computer-fundamentals/