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Generations of Computers: Chapter No 1

This document discusses the five generations of computers from the first generation in 1945-1955 to the present fifth generation. The first generation used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory. The second generation from 1955-1965 used transistors instead of vacuum tubes, making the computers smaller and more reliable. The third generation from 1965-1975 used integrated circuits instead of individual transistors. The fourth generation from 1975-1989 used microprocessors with thousands of circuits on a single chip. Current computers are considered fifth generation, pursuing artificial intelligence capabilities. Each generation brought improvements in size, performance, and capabilities.

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Ali Israr
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107 views25 pages

Generations of Computers: Chapter No 1

This document discusses the five generations of computers from the first generation in 1945-1955 to the present fifth generation. The first generation used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory. The second generation from 1955-1965 used transistors instead of vacuum tubes, making the computers smaller and more reliable. The third generation from 1965-1975 used integrated circuits instead of individual transistors. The fourth generation from 1975-1989 used microprocessors with thousands of circuits on a single chip. Current computers are considered fifth generation, pursuing artificial intelligence capabilities. Each generation brought improvements in size, performance, and capabilities.

Uploaded by

Ali Israr
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Generations of

computers
Chapter No 1
By
Engr. Ali Israr

introduction
The first electronic computer was designed and built based on
vacuum tube technology. Vacuum tubes were used to perform
logic operations and to store data.
Generations of computers has been divided into five according
to the development of technologies used to fabricate the
processors, memories and I/O units.

A generation refers to the state of


improvement in the development of a product.
This term is also used in the different
advancements of computer technology.
With each new generation, the circuitry has
gotten smaller and more advanced than the
previous generation before it.
New discoveries are constantly being
developed that affect the way we live, work
and play

Transitional period

I Generation : 1945 55
II Generation : 1955 65
III Generation : 1965 75
IV Generation : 1975 89
V Generation : 1989 to present
VI Generation : Future

OMING UP TECHNOLOGY

FIRST GENERATION COMPUTERS


During the period of 1940 to 1956 first generation of computers
were developed.
The first generation computers used
vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic
drumsfor memory, and were often
enormous, taking up entire rooms.
The vacuum tubewas developed by
Lee De Forest. Avacuum tubeis a device generally used to
amplify a signal by controlling the movement of electrons in an
evacuated space.

Colossuswasthe
firstelectroniccomputerofthisera.It'severyaspect
waskept secret by British Government.

CHARACTERISTICS

First generation computers were based on vacuum tubes.

The operating systems of the first generation computers


were very slow.
They were very large in size.
Production of the heat was in large amount in first
generation computers.
Machine language was used for programming.
First generation computers were unreliable.
They were difficult to program and use.

It is the Bendix G-15 General Purpose Digital Computer,


aFirst Generationcomputer introduced in 1956.

SECOND
GENERATION OF
COMPUTERS

The computers built in the


1950s
and
1960s
are
considered
the
2nd
generation computers.
These computers make use
of the transistors invented
by
Bell
Telephone
laboratories and they had
many
of
the
same
components
as
the
modern-day computer. For
instance, 2nd generation
computers typically had a
printer, some sort of tape
or disk storage, operating
systems, stored programs,
as well as some sort of

TRANSISTORS
Atransistor computeris acomputerwhich uses
discretetransistorsinstead of vacuum tubes. The
"first generation" of electronic computers used
vacuum tubes, which generated large amounts of
heat, were bulky, and were unreliable. A "second
generation" of computers, through the late 1950s
and 1960s featured boards filled with individual
transistors and. magnetic memory cores
they
were first developed in 1947. Transistors are most
often used to regulate the flow of an electrical
current and to switch electricity on and off.

Throughout the early 1960's, there were a number


of commercially successful second generation
computers used in business, universities, and
government from companies such as Burroughs,
Control Data, Honeywell, IBM, and others.
These second generation computers were also of
solid state design, and contained transistors in
place of vacuum tubes. They also contained all the
components we associate with the modern day
computer: printers, tape storage, disk storage,
memory, operating systems, and stored programs.

Main Characteristics of a second generation


computer are..
Second generationcomputermachines were based on
transistor technology.
Second generation computerswere smaller as compared to
thefirst generation computers
The computational time of Second generation computers
was reduced to microseconds from milliseconds.
Second generation computers were more reliable and has
less hardware failure. Hence, such computers required less
frequent maintenance.
Second generation computers were more portable and
generated less amount of heat.
Assembly language was used to program Second generation
computers. Hence, programming became more time-efficient
and less cumbersome.

3rd generation of
computers
The 3rd Generation computers replaced
transistors with integrated circuits or
I.C. was inverted by Jack Kilby as Texas
instruments in 1958.
The 3rd generation computers using
integrated circuits proved to be highly
reliable, relatively inexpensive, and
faster. Less human labour is required at
assembly stage.

3 Generation Computer
rd

Example of some main frame


computers developed during this
generation areICL(International computer limited.)
CDA(Control Data Corporation.)

Fourth Generation (1971Present)


The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of
computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were
built onto a single silicon chip.
What in the first generation filled an entire room could
now fit in the palm of the hand.
The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the
components of the computerfrom the central
processing unit and memory to input/output controls
on a single chip.

Time Period: 1975 to Today


Technology: VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration)
Incorporated many millions of transistors &
electronic circuits on a single chip.
Size: Small as compared to first generation
computer.
Processing: Faster then first generation computer

In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home


user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.
As these small computers became more powerful, they
could be linked together to form networks, which also
led to the development of the Internet. Fourth
generation computers also saw the development of the
mouse and handheld devices.

FIFTH GENERATION COMPUTERS


Fifth generation computing devices, based
onartificial intelligence, are still in
development, though there are some
applications, such asvoice recognition, that
are being used today. The use ofparallel
processingand superconductors is helping to
make artificial intelligence a reality.
The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond tonatural
languageinput and are capable of learning and
self-organization.

CHARACTERISTICS
Less power consumption .
High performance, lower cost and very
compact.
Computers based on artificial intelligence
are available.
Portable note book computers introduced .
Memory chips up to 1 GB, hard disk drives
up to 180 GB and optical disks up to 27
GB are available (still the capacity is
increasing) .

CONCLUSION
As a result of the various improvements to the
development of the computer we have seen the
computer being used in all areas of life. It is a
very useful tool that will continue to experience
new development as time passes.
Computers are used in various areas of our life.
Education, entertainment, sports, advertising,
medicine, science and engineering,
government, office and home are some of
theapplication areas of the computers.

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