INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTACY ARUSHA.

ALL DIPLOMA 1-2023/2024

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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Module Code: AFT 05109, BMT 05103
LECTURE NOTES.

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 TOPIC 1.
COMPUTER SYSTEM

Lecture 2: Computer generations .

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 Lecture objectives
• By the end of this lesson you should be able to;

• Explain how Computers have developed(computer history).

• Understand different features of computer in each generation stage.
• Classify the various types of computers

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 Before computers
• Before the generation of computers, we used
• Calculators,
• Spreadsheets,
• and Computer algebra systems,
• Mathematicians and inventors searched for solutions to ease the
burden of calculation.

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 Before computers cont..
• Below are the 8 Mechanical Calculators before modern computers
were invented.
• Abacus (ca. 2700 BC)
• Pascal’s Calculator (1652)
• Stepped Reckoner (1694)
• Arithmometer (1820)
• Comptometer (1887) and Comptograph (1889)
• The Difference Engine (1822)
• Analytical Engine (1834)
• The Millionaire (1893)
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 Introduction
• Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a
computer is/was being used.
• Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between varying
hardware technologies.
• Nowadays, generation includes both hardware and software, which
together make up an entire computer system.
• There are five computer generations known till today.
• Each generation has been discussed in detail along with their time period
and characteristics.
• In the following table, approximate dates against each generation has
been mentioned, which are normally accepted.

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 Phases of Computer Generations
This long period is often conveniently divided into the subsequent
phases called computer generations.

Generations of Evolving Hardware

Time-Period
Computer
First Generation 1940s – 1950s Vacuum Tube Based

Second Generation 1950s – 1960s Transistor Based

Third Generation 1960s – 1970s Integrated Circuit Based

Fourth Generation 1970s – Present Microprocessor Based

Fifth Generation Present – Future Artificial Intelligence Based

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First generation computers (1940s-1960s)

• The technology used was a fragile glass device,

which was called a vacuum tube.
• These computers were very heavy and really large.
• They were unreliable
• Slow in programming speed
• They used low-level programming language
• They had no Operating system
• First-generation computers were used for calculation,
storage, and control purpose.
• They were too bulky and large that they needed a
full room and consume a lot of electricity.
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Features of First generation computers

Characteristics Components
Main electronic component Vacuum tube.

Programming language Machine language.

Main memory Magnetic tapes and magnetic drums.

Input/output devices Paper tape and punched cards.

Very slow and very large (often taking up an entire

Speed and size
room).

Examples of the first generation IBM 650, IBM 701, ENIAC, UNIVAC1, etc.

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10
 First Generation computers Problems

1. Size-Non portable
2. Low level of accuracy
3. Unreliable – constant maintenance & Fault detection was difficult
4. Hardware failure due to extreme heat
5. Commercial production was difficult
6. Only technicians could use the computer
7. Expensive
8. Consumed high amount of electricity
9. Air condition required

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 Second generation computers(1950s-1960s)
• Second-generation computers used the technology of
transistors rather than bulky vacuum tubes.
• Another feature was the core storage.
• A transistor may be a device composed of
semiconductor material that amplifies a sign or opens
or closes a circuit.
• 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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Features of second generation computers.

Characteristics Components
Main electronic component Transistor.

Programming language Machine language and assembly language.

Memory Magnetic core and magnetic tape/disk.

Input/output devices Magnetic tape and punched cards.

Smaller in size, had low power consumption, and generated

Power and size
less heat (in comparison with the first-generation computers).

Examples of the second PDP-8, IBM1400 series, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC
generation 1107, CDC 3600, etc.

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Drawbacks of second generation computers

• Only technicians were required to use

• Air condition required
• Required maintenance time to time
• Not portable due to size
• Commercial production was still difficult due to its high cost
of production

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Third Generation Computers (1960s-1970)
• 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.
Integrated Circuit
• IC was made from silicon and also called
silicon chips.
• Mini computers were born in this generation
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Features of third generation computers
Characteristics Components

Main electronic component Integrated circuits (ICs).

Programming language High-level language.

Memory Large magnetic core, magnetic tape/disk.

Input/output devices Magnetic tape, monitor, keyboard, printer, etc.

IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, NCR 395, B6500,

Examples of the third generation
UNIVAC 1108, etc.
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 Fourth Generation Computers (1970- Present)
This era of technology shifted from;
1. small scale integration (SSI) ,
2. to Medium scale integration (MSI),
3. to large scale integration (LSI)circuits
4. to Very large scale Integration (VLSI).
Computers have became more powerful, compact, reliable, and
affordable.
• As a result, it gave rise to micro computer
• In this generation time sharing, networks, distributed operating system
were used.

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Features of Fourth generation computers

Characteristics Components
Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and the
Main electronic component microprocessor (VLSI has thousands of
transistors on a single microchip).
semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM,
Memory
etc.).
pointing devices, optical scanning, keyboard,
Input/output devices
monitor, printer, etc.
Examples of the fourth IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple
generation Macintosh, Alter 8800, etc.

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Fourth Generation Computers

• Advantages
• Very cheap • Disadvantages
• Portable and reliable
• Very small size • Human encounters
• High speed of computing than the • High sophisticated
older models technology required
• No A.C. needed • Virus attacks
• Memory and data processing
capacity is very large
• Concept of internet was introduced
• Low level of maintenance
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 Fifth generation computers (Present-
future)
• The period of fifth generation started from the early 1990’s-till to date.
• The same technology in the fourth generation has continue to exist in
the fifth generation.
• the VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration)
technology, resulting in the production of microprocessor chips having
ten million electronic components.
• This generation is based on parallel processing hardware and AI
(Artificial Intelligence) software.
• Some computer types of this generation are: Desktop, Laptop,
Palmtop, handhelds, wearables, Notebook ,Ultrabook ,Chromebook

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 Features of fifth generation computers
Characteristics Components

Based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration

(ULSI) technology and parallel processing method (ULSI has millions of
Main electronic component
transistors on a single microchip and the Parallel processing method use
two or more microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously).

Language Understand natural language (human language).

Size Portable and small in size.

Trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognize

Input/output device
voice/speech), light scanner, printer, keyboard, monitor, mouse, etc.

Example of the fifth

Desktops, laptops, Tablets, Smartphones, etc.
generation PCs

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 End of lecture 2 any Questions?

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