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A Comprehensive Guide to Generations of Computers

There are five generations of computers and the sixth generation is an emerging one. Over past decades, computers have evolved significantly, with each generation introducing new capabilities, improved performance, and enhanced features. The journey of computer’s development through different generations represents a fascinating tale of innovation, progress, and technological advancement. In this guide, we will delve into the various generations of computers, highlighting their characteristics, key advancements, and the impact they had on shaping the digital landscape.

Learn more about types of computer keyboards and types of search engines .

Generations of Computers

There are five generations of computers.

• First generation computers used vacuum tubes.
• Second generation computers used transistors.
• Third generation computers used ICs (Integrated Circuits).
• Microprocessors are used in fourth generation computers.
• Fifth generation computers are the most modern ones that are commonly used nowadays.

And finally, the sixth generation is AI powered super computers that are emerging and evolving as of today. So, this is not yet an officially and widely accepted category.

Download this entire guide to generations of computers as a PDF file

1. First Generation Computers – Vacuum Tubes

The first generation of computers, spanning the 1940s to the early 1950s, represents the initial foray into electronic computing. These machines were huge, expensive and marked by the use of vacuum tubes as their primary electronic component. Here are key aspects of the first generation of computers, along with notable examples.

Vacuum Tubes – Characteristics

Vacuum tubes are glass tubes containing electrodes used to control electrical current. They were the heart of early computers, performing functions like amplification and switching. The first generation marked the shift from mechanical calculating devices to electronic computing. This transition laid the foundation for subsequent generations to build upon. First generation computers processed data in binary code, using ones and zeros to represent information. These computers were primarily designed for scientific and mathematical calculations, often related to military or defense applications.

Programming Challenges & Other Issues

Programmers in the first generation had to physically wire the machine to perform specific tasks. This process was time-consuming and required a deep understanding of the machine’s architecture. Debugging and correcting errors in the programs were complex tasks due to the lack of high-level programming languages and debugging tools.

Vacuum tubes generated a considerable amount of heat, were prone to failure and consumed significant amounts of power. This made the machines large, cumbersome and challenging to maintain. Despite being revolutionary at the time, these computers were relatively slow by today’s standards and their applications were limited compared to modern computing.

Interaction with these computers was minimal and users often had to physically reconfigure the machine for different tasks. Skilled operators played a crucial role in the operation of first generation computers, handling tasks like loading programs and managing hardware components.

Examples of First Generation Computers

• ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer): Completed in 1945, ENIAC was one of the earliest electronic general-purpose computers. It consisted of around 17,468 vacuum tubes and occupied a large room.
• UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer): Developed in the early 1950s, UNIVAC I was the first commercially produced computer. It used vacuum tubes and magnetic tape for data storage.

Moving to Second Generation

First generation computers quickly became outdated as technology evolved. The rapid pace of advancements in subsequent generations rendered these machines obsolete within a relatively short time frame. Understanding the challenges and innovations of the first generation of computers provides valuable insights into the monumental strides made in subsequent generations. The transition from vacuum tubes to transistors in the second generation marked a pivotal moment in the history of computing, paving the way for smaller, more reliable and efficient machines.

2. Second Generation Computers – Transistors

The second generation of computers, spanning the late 1950s to the early 1960s, marked a significant leap forward in terms of technology and design compared to the first generation. The key innovation defining this era was the replacement of vacuum tubes with transistors, leading to improvements in size, reliability and efficiency. Here are some crucial aspects of the second generation, along with notable examples.

Prominent Features

The most defining feature of second generation computers was the use of transistors as electronic components, replacing the bulky and less reliable vacuum tubes. Transistors were smaller, faster, more durable and consumed less power than vacuum tubes. This transition resulted in more compact and efficient computer systems. It also made them more affordable and accessible to a broader range of organizations and businesses.

• Magnetic Core Memory – Second generation computers replaced the drum memory used in the first generation with magnetic core memory. This type of memory was faster, more reliable and allowed for random access to data. Magnetic core memory improved the overall performance and efficiency of computers , making them more suitable for a wider range of applications.
• Printed Circuit Boards – Second generation computers saw the adoption of printed circuit boards, which simplified the construction of electronic circuits and contributed to the overall reliability of the systems. The use of printed circuit boards allowed for easier maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Speed & Processing – Second generation computers demonstrated substantial improvements in processing speed compared to their predecessors, allowing for more complex calculations and data processing. These computers found applications in scientific research, business data processing and military operations, reflecting the growing versatility of computing technology.

Programming & Processing

With the advent of assembly languages and high-level programming languages like FORTRAN and COBOL, programming became more accessible and less reliant on low-level machine code. This shift allowed for more efficient programming, making it easier for developers to write and debug code.

Second generation computers often operated in batch processing mode, where a series of jobs were submitted for processing together. This mode improved the overall efficiency of computing tasks.

Examples of Second Generation Computers

• IBM 1401 and CDC 1604 are examples of second generation computers that were widely used for batch processing applications.
• IBM 7090 and UNIVAC 1107 were examples of second generation computers that were smaller and more commercially viable.

Moving to Third Generation

The second generation marked the beginning of the end of the punched card era. While punched cards were still used for input and output, magnetic tapes and disks became more prevalent, offering faster and more efficient data storage solutions. The transition to transistors and other technological advancements during the second generation laid the groundwork for subsequent developments in computing. The improvements in size, speed and reliability set the stage for further innovation in the third generation, which would see the integration of integrated circuits and bring about a new era in computing.

3. Third Generation of Computers – Integrated Circuits

The third generation of computers, spanning the 1960s to the 1970s, marked a significant evolution in computing technology, introducing integrated circuits (ICs) and bringing about improvements in performance, reliability and versatility. This era witnessed a shift from discrete transistors to integrated circuits, enabling more powerful and compact computer systems. Here are key aspects of the third generation, along with notable examples.

Integrated Circuits (ICs)

The defining feature of third generation computers was the use of integrated circuits, which incorporated multiple transistors and other electronic components onto a single semiconductor chip. Integrated circuits significantly reduced the size of computers, enhanced reliability and improved overall performance. The miniaturization allowed for the creation of smaller, more efficient and cost-effective systems.

Advancements with Third Generation

• Graphics – Third generation computers started to incorporate basic graphics capabilities, paving the way for the development of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in subsequent generations. Graphics capabilities found applications in scientific visualization, engineering and early computer-aided design (CAD).
• High-level Programming Languages –  The use of high-level programming languages continued to evolve in the third generation. Languages such as COBOL, FORTRAN and ALGOL gained popularity, making programming more accessible and efficient. The availability of high-level languages allowed programmers to focus on problem-solving rather than dealing with the complexities of machine code, fostering greater productivity and software development.
• Time-Sharing Systems – Third generation computers introduced more sophisticated operating systems, facilitating better management of resources and scheduling of tasks. Time-sharing systems emerged, enabling multiple users to access a computer simultaneously. This marked a departure from batch processing, allowing for interactive computing and improved resource utilization.
• Input/Output Devices – The third generation saw improvements in input/output devices. The use of terminals and displays became more widespread, enhancing user interaction and making computing more user-friendly.
• Remote Data Access – With improvements in communication technology, third generation computers began to support remote data access. This facilitated the sharing of information across different locations and laid the groundwork for the interconnected computing environments of the future.
• Magnetic Tape and Disk Storage – While magnetic tapes were still used for data storage, third generation computers witnessed the increased adoption of magnetic disk storage. Disk storage allowed for faster access to data and became a standard feature in computer systems.

Examples – Mainframe & MiniComputers

Third generation computers saw the widespread adoption of mainframe computers, which became the backbone of large-scale data processing for organizations and businesses. IBM System/360, introduced in 1964, was a groundbreaking series of mainframe computers that offered a range of compatible models for different applications. The System/360 architecture set a standard for compatibility across various models and paved the way for future computing systems.

Third generation also saw the rise of minicomputers, which were smaller, more affordable and suitable for medium-scale computing tasks. DEC PDP-11, introduced in 1970, was a highly successful minicomputer that found applications in research, education and industrial control systems.

Moving to Fourth Generation

The third generation of computers represented a significant step forward in terms of technology, with integrated circuits revolutionizing the design and capabilities of computing systems. The adoption of high-level programming languages, sophisticated operating systems and advancements in storage and communication set the stage for the continued evolution of computers in the fourth generation and beyond.

4. Fourth Generation Computers – Microprocessors

The fourth generation of computers, spanning the late 1970s through the 1980s and into the 1990s, witnessed transformative advancements in technology, introducing microprocessors, personal computers and a shift towards user-friendly interfaces. This era marked a departure from the large, centralized mainframe systems of the previous generations. Here are key aspects of the fourth generation, along with notable examples.

Features & Advancements

• Microprocessors – The most significant development of the fourth generation was the integration of microprocessors. Microprocessors combined the central processing unit (CPU) onto a single semiconductor chip, bringing unprecedented computing power to smaller, more affordable systems. Microprocessors enabled the creation of compact, powerful and energy-efficient computers. This innovation paved the way for the personal computer revolution.
• Personal Computers (PCs) – The fourth generation saw the rise of personal computers, making computing accessible to individuals and small businesses.
• Storage Advancements – Fourth generation computers saw the widespread adoption of hard disk drives (HDDs) for mass storage. Hard drives offered larger capacities and faster access to data than previous storage technologies. The introduction of CDs as a storage medium for software distribution and multimedia content became prominent during this era.
• Parallel Processing and Supercomputers – The fourth generation saw advancements in parallel processing, enabling computers to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) – GUIs became a standard feature in the fourth generation computers, providing users with visual interfaces, icons and point-and-click interactions. GUIs made computers more user-friendly and accessible to individuals with limited technical expertise, contributing to the democratization of computing.
• Software Development – Fourth generation computers saw a proliferation of software applications for various purposes, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases and entertainment. The availability of commercial software expanded, providing users with a wide range of options to enhance productivity and creativity.

Networking and the Internet

The fourth generation saw the expansion of computer networking, laying the groundwork for the development of the internet.

• TCP/IP Protocol – The adoption of TCP/IP protocol standardized communication on the emerging internet, facilitating global connectivity .
• ARPANET – The precursor to the internet, ARPANET, continued to evolve during this era, connecting research institutions and paving the way for the information age.

Examples of Fourth Generation Computers

The fourth generation witnessed the development of portable computers and laptops, providing users with mobility and flexibility.

• Personal Computers – Introduced in 1981, the IBM PC became a standard for personal computing. Its open architecture allowed for the use of third-party hardware and software, contributing to the widespread adoption of PCs.
• Portable Computers – The Osborne 1 (1981) and the IBM ThinkPad (1992) were early examples of portable computers that contributed to the evolution of mobile computing.
• Apple Macintosh – Launched in 1984, the Macintosh brought a graphical user interface (GUI) to personal computers, enhancing user interaction and making computing more intuitive.
• Supercomputers – High-performance computing became more accessible, with the development of supercomputers like the Cray-2 (1985) and the Connection Machine (1987).

Apple’s Macintosh System Software (macOS) and Microsoft Windows were prominent examples of operating systems with graphical user interfaces.

Moving to Fifth Generation

The fourth generation of computers revolutionized the landscape by making computing power available to individuals, fostering a new era of accessibility and innovation. The integration of microprocessors, the rise of personal computers and the development of user-friendly interfaces laid the foundation for the diverse and interconnected computing ecosystem we experience today.

5. Fifth Generation of Computers

The fifth generation of computers represents a period of computing that extends from the late 20th century into the early 21st century. This era is characterized by advancements in parallel processing, artificial intelligence (AI) and the development of novel computing architectures. While the exact timeline of the fifth generation can vary, it generally covers the period from the mid-1980s to the present day. Here are key aspects of the fifth generation, along with notable examples.

• Parallel Processing – Fifth generation computers embraced parallel processing, the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks to enhance computational speed and efficiency. Parallel processing allowed for the development of supercomputers and high-performance computing clusters capable of tackling complex problems in fields like scientific research, weather modeling and cryptography.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – The fifth generation is often synonymous with the integration of artificial intelligence into computing systems. Advanced programming languages, expert systems and neural networks became integral tools in the development of AI applications. AI supports in areas like natural language processing, image recognition and expert systems for decision-making.
• Knowledge-Based Systems – Knowledge-based systems, also known as expert systems, were developed during the fifth generation. These systems used human knowledge to make decisions and solve complex problems.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) – Fifth generation computers focused on improving the ability to understand and respond to human language. NLP applications included language translation, voice recognition and text understanding.
• Massive Parallelism and Distributed Computing – The fifth generation witnessed a shift towards massive parallelism and distributed computing architectures.
• Quantum Computing (Emerging) – Towards the latter part of the fifth generation and into the sixth generation, quantum computing emerged as a groundbreaking field. Quantum computers leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations at speeds that classical computers cannot achieve.
• Personal Computing Evolution – The fifth generation saw the continued evolution of personal computing, with advancements in hardware, software and user interfaces.

Fifth Generation Computer Systems (FGCS) & Internet

The Japanese government launched the Fifth Generation Computer Systems project in the 1980s, aiming to develop advanced computer systems with AI capabilities. The project was focused on parallel processing, knowledge-based systems and natural language processing. While it didn’t achieve all its ambitious goals, it contributed to advancements in AI research.

The fifth generation witnessed the widespread adoption of the internet as a global communication and information-sharing platform. The development of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s transformed how information is accessed and shared, leading to the interconnected digital world we experience today.

Examples – Mainframe & Minicomputers

• IBM’s Deep Blue, which defeated a world chess champion in 1997, is a notable example of AI achievements during this era.
• Systems like IBM’s Watson, known for winning Jeopardy! in 2011, showcased advancements in natural language processing.
• Distributed computing projects, like SETI@home, utilized the power of networked computers worldwide to analyze radio signals from space in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The proliferation of personal computers, laptops and the eventual rise of smartphones and tablets exemplify the ongoing evolution of computing devices. Companies like IBM, Google and startups like Rigetti and D-Wave are actively working on quantum computing research and development.

Moving to Sixth Generation

The fifth generation of computers represents a period of profound transformation, with a focus on AI, parallel processing and the development of technologies that continue to shape the digital landscape. As technology continues to advance, the fifth generation sets the stage for ongoing innovations in computing, including the exploration of quantum computing and the continued integration of AI into various aspects of our lives.

6. Sixth Generation of Computers

The sixth generation of computers are still in the early stages of development and concrete examples are not yet been fully realized. Predictions and expectations for the sixth generation generally involve advancements in technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and further integration of computing into various aspects of daily life. Here are key concepts associated with the potential characteristics of the sixth generation.

• Quantum Computing – Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computing, utilizing the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations at speeds that surpass classical computers. Quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems, such as optimization tasks, cryptography and simulations, at a pace that was previously unimaginable.
• Biocomputing and Neuromorphic Computing – The sixth generation may explore the integration of biological components into computing systems. This includes the use of DNA computing and other biologically-inspired computing approaches. Drawing inspiration from the human brain, neuromorphic computing aims to create processors that mimic the brain’s architecture, potentially leading to more efficient and powerful computing systems for tasks like pattern recognition and learning.
• AI Integration – The sixth generation is expected to witness the development of even more advanced and sophisticated AI systems , capable of complex reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making. AI may become further integrated into various aspects of daily life, from autonomous vehicles and smart homes to personalized healthcare and virtual assistants.
• Advanced Robotics – Sixth generation computers may contribute to the development of more advanced and autonomous robotic systems. These could find applications in fields like healthcare, manufacturing and space exploration.
• Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) – The integration of computers with the human brain through BCIs could become more sophisticated in the sixth generation, allowing for direct communication between the brain and computing systems.
• Augmented and Virtual Reality – Advances in augmented and virtual reality technologies may further enhance the integration of computing into human experiences. You can expect spatial computing devices like Apple Vision Pro will take the computer technology to imaginary level.
• Green Computing and Sustainability – The sixth generation may prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency in computing, exploring new technologies to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale computing systems.
• Edge Computing – This involves processing data closer to the source rather than relying on centralized cloud servers. The sixth generation may see further developments in edge computing for faster data processing and reduced latency.
• Hybrid Architectures – Hybrid computing architectures that leverage a combination of classical computing, quantum computing and other specialized computing technologies may become prevalent in the sixth generation.
• Advanced Encryption – With the growing importance of cybersecurity, the sixth generation is likely to bring advancements in encryption and security measures to protect sensitive data.

It’s essential to note that the predictions for the sixth generation are speculative and the timeline for its full realization may extend well into the future. Ongoing research and development in various fields, including quantum computing, AI and biotechnology, will play a crucial role in shaping the characteristics of the sixth generation of computers.

The evolution of computers across different generations reflects the relentless pursuit of innovation and improvement in the field of computing. Each generation has left an indelible mark on the digital landscape, shaping the way we work, communicate and live. As we look to the future, the ongoing advancements in technology continue to redefine the possibilities of computing, promising a world where the sixth generation and beyond will unlock new frontiers in computational capabilities.

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The Five Generations of Computers

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History of computers: A brief timeline

The history of computers began with primitive designs in the early 19th century and went on to change the world during the 20th century.

• 2000-present day

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The history of computers goes back over 200 years. At first theorized by mathematicians and entrepreneurs, during the 19th century mechanical calculating machines were designed and built to solve the increasingly complex number-crunching challenges. The advancement of technology enabled ever more-complex computers by the early 20th century, and computers became larger and more powerful.

Today, computers are almost unrecognizable from designs of the 19th century, such as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine — or even from the huge computers of the 20th century that occupied whole rooms, such as the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator.  

Here's a brief history of computers, from their primitive number-crunching origins to the powerful modern-day machines that surf the Internet, run games and stream multimedia. 

19th century

1801: Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French merchant and inventor invents a loom that uses punched wooden cards to automatically weave fabric designs. Early computers would use similar punch cards.

1821: English mathematician Charles Babbage conceives of a steam-driven calculating machine that would be able to compute tables of numbers. Funded by the British government, the project, called the "Difference Engine" fails due to the lack of technology at the time, according to the University of Minnesota . 

1848: Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician and the daughter of poet Lord Byron, writes the world's first computer program. According to Anna Siffert, a professor of theoretical mathematics at the University of Münster in Germany, Lovelace writes the first program while translating a paper on Babbage's Analytical Engine from French into English. "She also provides her own comments on the text. Her annotations, simply called "notes," turn out to be three times as long as the actual transcript," Siffert wrote in an article for The Max Planck Society . "Lovelace also adds a step-by-step description for computation of Bernoulli numbers with Babbage's machine — basically an algorithm — which, in effect, makes her the world's first computer programmer." Bernoulli numbers are a sequence of rational numbers often used in computation.

1853: Swedish inventor Per Georg Scheutz and his son Edvard design the world's first printing calculator. The machine is significant for being the first to "compute tabular differences and print the results," according to Uta C. Merzbach's book, " Georg Scheutz and the First Printing Calculator " (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1977).

1890: Herman Hollerith designs a punch-card system to help calculate the 1890 U.S. Census. The machine,  saves the government several years of calculations, and the U.S. taxpayer approximately $5 million, according to Columbia University  Hollerith later establishes a company that will eventually become International Business Machines Corporation ( IBM ).

Early 20th century

1931: At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Vannevar Bush invents and builds the Differential Analyzer, the first large-scale automatic general-purpose mechanical analog computer, according to Stanford University . 

1936: Alan Turing , a British scientist and mathematician, presents the principle of a universal machine, later called the Turing machine, in a paper called "On Computable Numbers…" according to Chris Bernhardt's book " Turing's Vision " (The MIT Press, 2017). Turing machines are capable of computing anything that is computable. The central concept of the modern computer is based on his ideas. Turing is later involved in the development of the Turing-Welchman Bombe, an electro-mechanical device designed to decipher Nazi codes during World War II, according to the UK's National Museum of Computing . 

1937: John Vincent Atanasoff, a professor of physics and mathematics at Iowa State University, submits a grant proposal to build the first electric-only computer, without using gears, cams, belts or shafts.

1939: David Packard and Bill Hewlett found the Hewlett Packard Company in Palo Alto, California. The pair decide the name of their new company by the toss of a coin, and Hewlett-Packard's first headquarters are in Packard's garage, according to MIT . 

1941: German inventor and engineer Konrad Zuse completes his Z3 machine, the world's earliest digital computer, according to Gerard O'Regan's book " A Brief History of Computing " (Springer, 2021). The machine was destroyed during a bombing raid on Berlin during World War II. Zuse fled the German capital after the defeat of Nazi Germany and later released the world's first commercial digital computer, the Z4, in 1950, according to O'Regan. 

1941: Atanasoff and his graduate student, Clifford Berry, design the first digital electronic computer in the U.S., called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). This marks the first time a computer is able to store information on its main memory, and is capable of performing one operation every 15 seconds, according to the book " Birthing the Computer " (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016)

1945: Two professors at the University of Pennsylvania, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, design and build the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC). The machine is the first "automatic, general-purpose, electronic, decimal, digital computer," according to Edwin D. Reilly's book "Milestones in Computer Science and Information Technology" (Greenwood Press, 2003). 

1946: Mauchly and Presper leave the University of Pennsylvania and receive funding from the Census Bureau to build the UNIVAC, the first commercial computer for business and government applications.

1947: William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain of Bell Laboratories invent the transistor . They discover how to make an electric switch with solid materials and without the need for a vacuum.

1949: A team at the University of Cambridge develops the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), "the first practical stored-program computer," according to O'Regan. "EDSAC ran its first program in May 1949 when it calculated a table of squares and a list of prime numbers ," O'Regan wrote. In November 1949, scientists with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), now called CSIRO, build Australia's first digital computer called the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Automatic Computer (CSIRAC). CSIRAC is the first digital computer in the world to play music, according to O'Regan.

Late 20th century

1953: Grace Hopper develops the first computer language, which eventually becomes known as COBOL, which stands for COmmon, Business-Oriented Language according to the National Museum of American History . Hopper is later dubbed the "First Lady of Software" in her posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom citation. Thomas Johnson Watson Jr., son of IBM CEO Thomas Johnson Watson Sr., conceives the IBM 701 EDPM to help the United Nations keep tabs on Korea during the war.

1954: John Backus and his team of programmers at IBM publish a paper describing their newly created FORTRAN programming language, an acronym for FORmula TRANslation, according to MIT .

1958: Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce unveil the integrated circuit, known as the computer chip. Kilby is later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work.

1968: Douglas Engelbart reveals a prototype of the modern computer at the Fall Joint Computer Conference, San Francisco. His presentation, called "A Research Center for Augmenting Human Intellect" includes a live demonstration of his computer, including a mouse and a graphical user interface (GUI), according to the Doug Engelbart Institute . This marks the development of the computer from a specialized machine for academics to a technology that is more accessible to the general public.

1969: Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie and a group of other developers at Bell Labs produce UNIX, an operating system that made "large-scale networking of diverse computing systems — and the internet — practical," according to Bell Labs .. The team behind UNIX continued to develop the operating system using the C programming language, which they also optimized. 

1970: The newly formed Intel unveils the Intel 1103, the first Dynamic Access Memory (DRAM) chip.

1971: A team of IBM engineers led by Alan Shugart invents the "floppy disk," enabling data to be shared among different computers.

1972: Ralph Baer, a German-American engineer, releases Magnavox Odyssey, the world's first home game console, in September 1972 , according to the Computer Museum of America . Months later, entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell and engineer Al Alcorn with Atari release Pong, the world's first commercially successful video game. 

1973: Robert Metcalfe, a member of the research staff for Xerox, develops Ethernet for connecting multiple computers and other hardware.

1977: The Commodore Personal Electronic Transactor (PET), is released onto the home computer market, featuring an MOS Technology 8-bit 6502 microprocessor, which controls the screen, keyboard and cassette player. The PET is especially successful in the education market, according to O'Regan.

1975: The magazine cover of the January issue of "Popular Electronics" highlights the Altair 8080 as the "world's first minicomputer kit to rival commercial models." After seeing the magazine issue, two "computer geeks," Paul Allen and Bill Gates, offer to write software for the Altair, using the new BASIC language. On April 4, after the success of this first endeavor, the two childhood friends form their own software company, Microsoft.

1976: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-found Apple Computer on April Fool's Day. They unveil Apple I, the first computer with a single-circuit board and ROM (Read Only Memory), according to MIT .

1977: Radio Shack began its initial production run of 3,000 TRS-80 Model 1 computers — disparagingly known as the "Trash 80" — priced at $599, according to the National Museum of American History. Within a year, the company took 250,000 orders for the computer, according to the book " How TRS-80 Enthusiasts Helped Spark the PC Revolution " (The Seeker Books, 2007).

1977: The first West Coast Computer Faire is held in San Francisco. Jobs and Wozniak present the Apple II computer at the Faire, which includes color graphics and features an audio cassette drive for storage.

1978: VisiCalc, the first computerized spreadsheet program is introduced.

1979: MicroPro International, founded by software engineer Seymour Rubenstein, releases WordStar, the world's first commercially successful word processor. WordStar is programmed by Rob Barnaby, and includes 137,000 lines of code, according to Matthew G. Kirschenbaum's book " Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing " (Harvard University Press, 2016).

1981: "Acorn," IBM's first personal computer, is released onto the market at a price point of $1,565, according to IBM. Acorn uses the MS-DOS operating system from Windows. Optional features include a display, printer, two diskette drives, extra memory, a game adapter and more.

1983: The Apple Lisa, standing for "Local Integrated Software Architecture" but also the name of Steve Jobs' daughter, according to the National Museum of American History ( NMAH ), is the first personal computer to feature a GUI. The machine also includes a drop-down menu and icons. Also this year, the Gavilan SC is released and is the first portable computer with a flip-form design and the very first to be sold as a "laptop."

1984: The Apple Macintosh is announced to the world during a Superbowl advertisement. The Macintosh is launched with a retail price of $2,500, according to the NMAH. 

1985 : As a response to the Apple Lisa's GUI, Microsoft releases Windows in November 1985, the Guardian reported . Meanwhile, Commodore announces the Amiga 1000.

1989: Tim Berners-Lee, a British researcher at the European Organization for Nuclear Research ( CERN ), submits his proposal for what would become the World Wide Web. His paper details his ideas for Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), the building blocks of the Web. 

1993: The Pentium microprocessor advances the use of graphics and music on PCs.

1996: Sergey Brin and Larry Page develop the Google search engine at Stanford University.

1997: Microsoft invests $150 million in Apple, which at the time is struggling financially.  This investment ends an ongoing court case in which Apple accused Microsoft of copying its operating system. 

1999: Wi-Fi, the abbreviated term for "wireless fidelity" is developed, initially covering a distance of up to 300 feet (91 meters) Wired reported . 

21st century

2001: Mac OS X, later renamed OS X then simply macOS, is released by Apple as the successor to its standard Mac Operating System. OS X goes through 16 different versions, each with "10" as its title, and the first nine iterations are nicknamed after big cats, with the first being codenamed "Cheetah," TechRadar reported.  

2003: AMD's Athlon 64, the first 64-bit processor for personal computers, is released to customers. 

2004: The Mozilla Corporation launches Mozilla Firefox 1.0. The Web browser is one of the first major challenges to Internet Explorer, owned by Microsoft. During its first five years, Firefox exceeded a billion downloads by users, according to the Web Design Museum . 

2005: Google buys Android, a Linux-based mobile phone operating system

2006: The MacBook Pro from Apple hits the shelves. The Pro is the company's first Intel-based, dual-core mobile computer. 

2009: Microsoft launches Windows 7 on July 22. The new operating system features the ability to pin applications to the taskbar, scatter windows away by shaking another window, easy-to-access jumplists, easier previews of tiles and more, TechRadar reported .  

2010: The iPad, Apple's flagship handheld tablet, is unveiled.

2011: Google releases the Chromebook, which runs on Google Chrome OS.

2015: Apple releases the Apple Watch. Microsoft releases Windows 10.

2016: The first reprogrammable quantum computer was created. "Until now, there hasn't been any quantum-computing platform that had the capability to program new algorithms into their system. They're usually each tailored to attack a particular algorithm," said study lead author Shantanu Debnath, a quantum physicist and optical engineer at the University of Maryland, College Park.

2017: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a new "Molecular Informatics" program that uses molecules as computers. "Chemistry offers a rich set of properties that we may be able to harness for rapid, scalable information storage and processing," Anne Fischer, program manager in DARPA's Defense Sciences Office, said in a statement. "Millions of molecules exist, and each molecule has a unique three-dimensional atomic structure as well as variables such as shape, size, or even color. This richness provides a vast design space for exploring novel and multi-value ways to encode and process data beyond the 0s and 1s of current logic-based, digital architectures."

2019: A team at Google became the first to demonstrate quantum supremacy — creating a quantum computer that could feasibly outperform the most powerful classical computer — albeit for a very specific problem with no practical real-world application. The described the computer, dubbed "Sycamore" in a paper that same year in the journal Nature . Achieving quantum advantage – in which a quantum computer solves a problem with real-world applications faster than the most powerful classical computer —  is still a ways off. 

2022: The first exascale supercomputer, and the world's fastest, Frontier, went online at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) in Tennessee. Built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) at the cost of $600 million, Frontier uses nearly 10,000 AMD EPYC 7453 64-core CPUs alongside nearly 40,000 AMD Radeon Instinct MI250X GPUs. This machine ushered in the era of exascale computing, which refers to systems that can reach more than one exaFLOP of power – used to measure the performance of a system. Only one machine – Frontier – is currently capable of reaching such levels of performance. It is currently being used as a tool to aid scientific discovery.

What is the first computer in history?

Charles Babbage's Difference Engine, designed in the 1820s, is considered the first "mechanical" computer in history, according to the Science Museum in the U.K . Powered by steam with a hand crank, the machine calculated a series of values and printed the results in a table. 

What are the five generations of computing?

The "five generations of computing" is a framework for assessing the entire history of computing and the key technological advancements throughout it. 

The first generation, spanning the 1940s to the 1950s, covered vacuum tube-based machines. The second then progressed to incorporate transistor-based computing between the 50s and the 60s. In the 60s and 70s, the third generation gave rise to integrated circuit-based computing. We are now in between the fourth and fifth generations of computing, which are microprocessor-based and AI-based computing.

What is the most powerful computer in the world?

As of November 2023, the most powerful computer in the world is the Frontier supercomputer . The machine, which can reach a performance level of up to 1.102 exaFLOPS, ushered in the age of exascale computing in 2022 when it went online at Tennessee's  Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) 

There is, however, a potentially more powerful supercomputer waiting in the wings in the form of the Aurora supercomputer, which is housed at the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) outside of Chicago.  Aurora went online in November 2023. Right now, it lags far behind Frontier, with performance levels of just 585.34 petaFLOPS (roughly half the performance of Frontier), although it's still not finished. When work is completed, the supercomputer is expected to reach performance levels higher than 2 exaFLOPS.

What was the first killer app?

Killer apps are widely understood to be those so essential that they are core to the technology they run on. There have been so many through the years – from Word for Windows in 1989 to iTunes in 2001 to social media apps like WhatsApp in more recent years

Several pieces of software may stake a claim to be the first killer app, but there is a broad consensus that VisiCalc, a spreadsheet program created by VisiCorp and originally released for the Apple II in 1979, holds that title. Steve Jobs even credits this app for propelling the Apple II to become the success it was, according to co-creator Dan Bricklin .

• Fortune: A Look Back At 40 Years of Apple
• The New Yorker: The First Windows
• " A Brief History of Computing " by Gerard O'Regan (Springer, 2021)

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Timothy is Editor in Chief of print and digital magazines All About History and History of War . He has previously worked on sister magazine All About Space , as well as photography and creative brands including Digital Photographer and 3D Artist . He has also written for How It Works magazine, several history bookazines and has a degree in English Literature from Bath Spa University . 

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Generations of Computer 1st to 5th Explained with Pictures.

The history of computer technology is often used to refer to the origin of all the different generations of computers . From first to fifth each computer generation is characterized by significant technological development in their components, memory , and elements which essentially changed the way these devices work.

Several periods of generation from over the years advanced the technological evolution leads to the creation of today’s modern computer with more complex, more powerful, and increased capability and functionality.

Introduction to Computer Generations

This development period of electronic computing technology is called Computer Generation. There are five generations of computers identified, although the sixth generation could be in development now in the early 21st century.

During the evolutionary timeline, each generation of computers has improved a lot by undergoing considerable changes in their size, type, and functionality.

By analyzing them, one can trace the evolution of computer technology, to see how the computer industry has changed over the years and how great capabilities and software progress has been made by humankind in under a hundred years , as a result, the creation of different generations.

At present, the computer is playing a significant part in human existence because today’s digital computer is being used for every work in each field. If someday an issue occurs in the computer or the server is down, at that point all the work stops. This is how significant it is for technology development!

In this article, I will introduce you to all the generations of computers with pictures by explaining the complete information about their characteristics , names, components , and examples too.

Generations of Computer From 1st to 5th

Let’s discover the series of computer generations in the following list:

1st Generation of Computer (1940-1956)

This first generation of computers was based on vacuum tube technology used for calculations, storage, and control, invented in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming. The vacuum tubes and diode valves were the chief components of the first generations of computers.

First-generation computers relied on the lowest-level machine language, in order to perform operations, and could only solve a single problem at a point of time.

Magnetic drums were used as the memory in these computers (were very slow in speed). The punched and magnetic tapes were used for the input and output function of the computer in order to display on prints even the results weren’t 100% accurate.

Also, the first generation of computers available was based on the 8-bit microprocessor.

The disadvantages of 1st gen computers are that they were very enormous in size and heavy in weight (made of thousands of vacuum tubes ) , occupying large rooms. Also, once they were kept in one place it was difficult to transfer. Another con like using a decimal number system and many switches and cables.

In addition, they were also very expensive to operate with using a large amount of electricity, the vacuum tubes produced large amounts of heat, so an air conditioner was required for the proper functioning unless a lot of heat can cause a malfunction.

The advantage of the first generation of computers is that they could calculate in milliseconds (about five thousand sums per second.)

The computers of first-generation were managed to use in different fields like weather forecasting, solving mathematical problems, energy tasks, also in space research, military, and other scientific tasks.

In the first generation of computers, the first computer of the world named “ENIAC” (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was discovered by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert in the year between 1943 to 1945.

ENIAC used panel-to-panel wiring and switches for programming, occupied more than 1,000 square feet, used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, and weighed 30 tons.

Characteristics of the 1st Generation of Computer:

• Vacuum tubes and diode valves were used as the main electronic component in the first generation computers.
• Punch cards, paper tape utilized for input and output operations.
• Magnetic drums used for storage.
• Huge in size and weight with a lot of power consumption.
• Very expensive in price also not reliable.
• Computers were programmed with low-level machine language also has low operating speed.

Examples of the first generation of computers are ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) EDSEC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator), EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer), (Electronic delay storage automatic calculator), IBM -701 and IBM 650.

ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer . This computer about 18,000 vacuum tubes used for the calculation result in huge in size, occupied more than 1,000 square feet, and weighed 30 tons. These were the harbingers of today’s digital computers. This first computing machine was designed by people J. P. Eckert, W. Mosley, J. W. Mauchly.

2nd Generation of Computer (1956-1964)

The second generation of computers replaced the vacuum tubes with a reliable component called transistors for manufacturing of computers was invented by William Shockley in 1947.

The transistors were the revolution in the computer field because this component advantaged the 2nd gen computer by increasing the performance, operating speed (hundreds of thousands of operations per second), as well as decreasing the electricity consumption of the computers.

Transistors were far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to get faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient made and possible to reduce the size of computing equipment and ultimately heat reduced and reliability improved.

Computers of second-generation are characterized by the use of the first high-level programming languages, allowing programmers to specify instructions in words. At this time, early versions of COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN languages were developed .

These were the first computers to store their instructions in their memory, which went from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology. During this period, the first computer game name “ Spacewar ” was seen on a PDP-1 computer.

Do you know~ that the oldest abacus was a computing machine designed to calculate thousands of years ago, which is still used in schools today to do calculations.

Also, the concept of Central Processing Unit (CPU), multi-programming operating systems, programming language, memory, and input and output units (I / O units) were developed in the timeline of second-generation computers.

The major disadvantages of Second-generation computers were they still relied on punch cards for input and hard copies for output as well as still it was difficult to move the computers for the reason they were enough large and even some computers needed ACs.

This second generation of computers was first used in the fields like the atomic energy industry and nuclear power plants and other commercial fields.

Characteristics of the 2nd Generation of Computer:

• Computers based on transistors instead of vacuum tubes.
• Magnetic Tape was used to store data.
• Relatively small in size and reduced weight with low energy consumption than 1st gen computers.
• Faster, reliable, and less expensive than the first generation.
• Use of storage devices, printers, and operating systems, etc.
• Higher-level languages like COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN were developed and used.

Examples of the second generation of computers include IBM 1620, CDC 1604, IBM 7094, UNIVAC 1108, IBM 620, CDC 3600, IBM 4044, Honeywell 400, IBM 1401 Mainframe, and PDP-1 minicomputer. IBM was actively working, producing transistor versions of its computers.

3rd Generation of Computer (1964-1971)

The third generation appeared in the form of integrated circuits (invented by Jack Kilby from 1958 to 1964). An IC (integrated circuit) is consists of many small transistors mounted on chips , which are called semiconductors.

This synchronized chip became an important foundation for the third generation computers when scientists combined hundreds of transistors fit in this circuit result in a more powerful electronic segment called an integrated circuit.

Multiprogramming was implemented (this is when there are several executable programs in memory) at the same time that it diminished their manufacturing costs. In the mid-60s. IBM improved the term “computer architecture”. By the end of the 60s. mini-computers appeared.

This revolutionary innovation allowed to expansion of the processing capacity and memory of the machines.

Instead of punch cards and prints, users interacted via keyboards and monitors , and interacted with an operating system, allowing the device to run various applications at once with a central program that monitored the memory.

As you can see, the first appearance of computer monitors fell on the second generation of computers. The invention belongs to the company IBM, which in 1964 released the commercial display station IBM-2250.

it was used in the system/360 series. The model had a vector monochrome display measuring 12×12 inches, with a resolution of 1024×1024 pixels and a refresh rate of 40 Hz. This invention revolutionized today’s different types of monitors including LCD, LED, OLED monitors.

The invention of IC incredibly decreased the size of computers and made it easy for transportation from one place to another. The working speed and efficiency of this generation of computers were much faster than the previous generation and even cheaper.

High-end languages such as PASCAL, BASIC, FORTRAN – II TO IV, COBOL, ALGOL developed in this generation.

For the first time, they got access to a mass audience allowed computers to penetrate into different spheres of human activity since they were smaller and cheaper. Along these, they turned out to be more specialized (i.e., there were different computers for different tasks).

The 3rd generation of computers was the initial move towards the miniaturization of computers and quickly expanded their scope: control, automation of scientific experiments, data transmission, etc. In addition to being used in the manufacture of radios, TVs, and other similar devices .

Characteristics of the 3rd Generation of Computer:

• In this generation, computers based on Integrated Circuit was more powerful than the transistor.
• The size of the computers was likewise little because the size of the IC being more modest than the circuit size of the transistors.
• More reliable, inexpensive, faster, energy-efficient, as well as very light in weight than 2nd gen computers.
• The first Computer Mouse and Keyboard were appeared and used in the 3rd generation of computers
• Use of new versions of high-level languages like BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, PASCAL, and ALGOL
• Available for a mass audience and made it possible for general purpose usage.

Some of the most popular models of the 3rd generation of computers were the ICL 2903, ICL 1900, TDC-B16, IBM 360 and 370, Honeywell 6000, UNIVAC 1108, PDP-8, and PDP-11, which were ideal in their handling multiprocessing capabilities, reliability, and flexibility than previous generations.

4th Generation of Computer (1971-2010)

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits equivalent to about millions of transistors were assembled and brought the whole central processing unit and other fundamental elements of the machine into a small chip called a microprocessor fitted on the CPU socket.

These computers used Very Large Scale Integrated circuits technology also called VLSI technology. After the invention, the microprocessor began to used in computing machines in the fourth and fifth generations of computers.

Within the framework of the considered generation in 1971, the first microprocessor appeared as an unexpected result of Intel’s work on calculator circuits and further development of minicomputers ( PDP-11 ).

The first personal computer and a microcomputer was “ ALTAIR ” developed by the company MITS in 1974. Also, the first microprocessor was the Intel 4004, manufactured in 1971, initially for an electronic calculator. Whereas the computers of the first generation filled an entire room, while now the 4th generation ‘microprocessors’ fit in the palm of the hand.

This generation of computers used an operating system based on the graphical user interface (GUI), which means these numbers were very easy to perform mathematical and logical tasks.

The computers started to utilize high-speed memory systems on integrated circuits with a capacity of several megabytes. Computer performance has increased significantly (hundreds of millions of operations per second).

The high-level language like C, C ++, Java, PHP, Python, Visual Basic,  was utilized to compose programs in the computers of the fourth generation.

The advent of the first personal computers in the mid-70s gave every common user the same computing resources that enormous computers had during the 60s. These computers were made more modest, faster, and less expensive can undoubtedly be put on a table or desk. Which marked the so-called era of personal computers .

Peripheral devices examples , such as mice, joysticks, handheld devices, etc., were developed during this 4th generation. Computers could be connected together in a network to share information with each other, this has played an important role in the birth and development of LAN, Ethernet, and the Internet .

The most popular companies in the world like Intel and AMD were rising. Then again, companies like Microsoft and Apple introduced their operating systems ‘Windows’ and ‘Macintosh’ in the generation of this computer. Because of which the act of multimedia started.

This is the era where personal computers were born, an idea that actually persists today. Also, these were the generation of DEC’s (Digital Equipment Corporation) minicomputers.

Characteristics of the 4th Generation of Computer:

• Computers based on microprocessors and VLSI technology .
• The computers of 4th gen were small in size, lightweight, and almost portable computers.
• The integrating of multi cores in processors like Dual core , Octa core, etc has began.
• The processing speed of this computer generation was much faster and reliable than the previous three generations.
• The size and cost of power supply units has reduced.
• Use of languages ​​like C, C ++, .Net, Java, PHP, Python , Visual Basic.
• Use of GUI Based OS with more memory capacity.
• Accessible to the Internet .
• Due to the low cost of these computers, they were available to every common man.

Desktops, Laptops, Workstations, Tablets, Chromebooks , and Smartphones, are examples of the fourth generation of computers.

Good to Know~ Alan Turing is the father of modern computers born in England in 1912.

5th Generation of Computer (2010-At Present)

Artificial intelligence is the name of the fifth as well as the latest generation of computers based on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology is the process of integrating or embedding millions of transistors on a single silicon microchip.

Computing in the 5th computer generation is versatile made portable, powerful, lightweight, innovative, comfortable with low electricity consumption . Because of the Internet’s advantages , it extended its limits of use to limits never before suspected.

The main objective of the latest fifth-generation computing and effort made by computer researchers is to make them smart by incorporating Artificial Intelligence so as to develop devices that respond to the input of natural language and are capable of learning and self-organizing even in 2022 it is under development.

This new information technology has greatly increased the size and working ability of the microprocessor, which has prompted the use of computers in the various fields of Entertainment, Accounting, Educational institutes , Film-making, Traffic-control, Business applications , and Hospitals, Engineering, Researches, Defense, etc.

That’s why a computer of the 5th generation is also known as the AI (Artificial Intelligence) generation of computers.

Some computers are being intended to do all the work themselves as a human act, behave, and communicate. The best example of this is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based computing machine in the 5th generation of computers “ Sophia ” a robot.

Characteristics of the 5th Generation of Computer:

• The main focus on AI-based computers.
• Computers made of microprocessors based on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology.
• The processing speed is quite high can perform billions of calculations in a second.
• Computers are portable, cheap, reliable, fast, and available in various forms and sizes like a Desktop, Laptop, Smartphone, Smartwatches, etc.
• Invention of the operating system such as Windows, Macintosh and ChromeOS of Chromebooks .
• Multimedia has evolved in this generation by combining Sound, Graphics, or Picture and Text.
• Development of Internet of Things.

Computers of the fifth generation are being made to think like us. For which continuous advancement of technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Robotics, etc. Although the examples of AI computing software such as Chatbots, Windows Cortana, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Speech recognition, that are being used today.

Classification of the computer by generations

Factors/reasons for the development of computer generations:.

There below are the general factors associated with the development and change in the generations of electronic computers:

• Improvement of the element base,
• Downsizing,
• Technological progress (increased performance, speed, and memory)
• Reduced cost,
• Development of  software ,
• Changes in architecture, expansion of the range of tasks solved by computers,
• Simplification and standardization of hardware.
• Changing the way of interaction between the user and the computer.

How many generations of computers have there been?

There are 5 computer generations till now i.e. vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, microprocessors, and the last one is artificial intelligence. 6th generation yet to come may be either in the form of quantum computers or developing the existing artificial intelligence technology to a greater extent.

What is the 6th generation of computers?

Electronic computers are usually divided into five generations now and the 6th generation is still in development but has the potential to give birth to the sixth generation of computers may be in the form of quantum computing.

Which is the current modern generation of computers today?

The technologies based on artificial intelligence are the current and the latest generation of computers(5th GEN) today.

What is the historical development of computers according to generation?

In accordance with the methodology for assessing the development of computer technology, the first generation was considered to be vacuum tube computers, the second – transistor computers, the third – computers on integrated circuits, the fourth – using microprocessors, and the fifth generation computers is based on the artificial intelligence.

What is the generation of a colossus computer?

Colossus computer was the first generation of the computer developed and designed by Tommy Flowers at Bletchley Park in the year 1944 with the purpose of cracking Hitler’s codes.

The sixth will also discover in the future since there are some flaws of technology in this generation that will be revived or resolved in the upcoming generation.

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Unit 7. Evolution of computers

Topic A: Computer generations

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.

Basic Terms

Vacuum tube – an electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum. It used as a switch, amplifier, or display screen in many older model radios, televisions, computers, etc.

Transistor – an electronic component that can be used as an amplifier or as a switch. It is used to control the flow of electricity in radios, televisions, computers, etc.

Integrated circuit (IC) – a small electronic circuit printed on a chip (usually made of silicon) that contains many its own circuit elements (e.g. transistors, diodes , resistors, etc.).

Microprocessor – an electronic component held on an integrated circuit that contains a computer’s central processing unit (CPU) and other associated circuits.

CPU (central processing unit) – It is often referred to as the brain or engine of a computer where most of the processing and operations take place (CPU is part of a microprocessor).

Magnetic drum – a cylinder coated with magnetic material, on which data and programs can be stored.

Magnetic core – uses arrays of small rings of magnetized material called cores to store information.

Machine language – a low-level programming language comprised of a collection of binary digits (ones and zeros) that the computer can read and understand.

Assembly language is like the machine language that a computer can understand, except that assembly language uses abbreviated words (e.g. ADD, SUB, DIV…) in place of numbers (0s and 1s).

Artificial intelligence (AI) – an area of computer science that deals with the simulation and creation of intelligent machines or intelligent behave in computers (they think, learn, work, and react like humans).

First Generation of Computers

Classification of generations of computers.

The evolution of computer technology is often divided into five generations.

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

• Main memory – magnetic drums and magnetic tapes
• Programming language – machine language

• Speed and size – very slow and very large in size (often taking up 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).

• Memory – magnetic core and magnetic tape / disk

• 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).

• Memory – large magnetic core, magnetic tape / disk

• 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).

• Examples – IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108, etc.

Fourth Generation of Computers

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

• VLSI– thousands of transistors on a single microchip.
• 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).

• A mix of both third- and fourth-generation languages
• Size – smaller, cheaper and more efficient than third generation computers.
• Speed – improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in comparison with the third generation computers).

• 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).

• ULSI – millions of transistors on a single microchip
• 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.

• Example – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

The computer – this amazing technology went from a government/business-only technology to being everywhere from people’s homes, work places, to people’s pockets in less than 100 years.

an electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum. It used as a switch, amplifier, or display screen in many older model radios, televisions, computers, etc.

an electronic component that can be used as an amplifier or as a switch. It is used to control the flow of electricity in radios, televisions, computers, etc.

a small electronic circuit printed on a chip (usually made of silicon) that contains many its own circuit elements (e.g. transistors, diodes, resistors, etc.).

an electronic component held on an integrated circuit that contains a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and other associated circuits.

The brain or engine of a computer, where most of the processing and operations take place.

a cylinder coated with magnetic material, on which data and programs can be stored.

uses arrays of small rings of magnetized material called cores to store information.

a low-level programming language comprised of a collection of binary digits (ones and zeros) that the computer can read and understand.

a physical device that is used to store data, information, and programs in a computer.

an area of computer science that deals with the simulation and creation of intelligent machines or intelligent behave in computers (they think, learn, work, and react like humans).

Key Concepts of Computer Studies Copyright © 2020 by Meizhong Wang is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The Five Generations of Computers - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Five Generations of Computers

First generation computers second generation computers (1956-1963) ... the intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer. – powerpoint ppt presentation.

• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory.
• They were often enormous and taking up entire room.
• First generation computers relied on machine language.
• . They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.
• The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices.
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers.
• Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic.
•  High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN.
• These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory.
• The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.
• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on siliconchips, called semiconductors.
• Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system.
• Allowed the device to run many different applicati ons at one time.
• The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip.
• The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer.
• From the central processing unit and memory to input/output controlson a single chip.
• . Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
• Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence.
• Are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition.
• The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality.
• The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

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Computer - First Generation

The period of first generation was from 1946-1959. The computers of first generation used vacuum tubes as the basic components for memory and circuitry for CPU (Central Processing Unit). These tubes, like electric bulbs, produced a lot of heat and the installations used to fuse frequently. Therefore, they were very expensive and only large organizations were able to afford it.

In this generation, mainly batch processing operating system was used. Punch cards, paper tape, and magnetic tape was used as input and output devices. The computers in this generation used machine code as the programming language.

The main features of the first generation are −

• Vacuum tube technology
• Supported machine language only
• Very costly
• Generated a lot of heat
• Slow input and output devices
• Non-portable
• Consumed a lot of electricity

Some computers of this generation were −

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Generations of the Computer

Sep 26, 2014

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Generations of the Computer. First Generation 1946 - 1959. First Generation (1946 – 1959). Key Component – Vacuum Tubes Very large and bulky No memory Programmed in Machine Language Very expensive to run Used great amounts of power In constant repair Not reliable Input – Punch cards.

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• vacuum tubes
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• micro computers personal computers

Presentation Transcript

First Generation1946 - 1959

First Generation (1946 – 1959) • Key Component – Vacuum Tubes • Very large and bulky • No memory • Programmed in Machine Language • Very expensive to run • Used great amounts of power • In constant repair • Not reliable • Input – Punch cards

Vacuum Tubes • Vacuum tubes are sealed glass used in electronic circuitry to control the electrons sealed inside the tubes. • They are used for: the amplification of weak currents, rectification of an altering current to direct current (AC to DC), generating of oscillating radio-frequency power for radio, radar, and more. • Some of the earliest forms of a vacuum tube were recorded in the late 17th century but it wasn’t until 1850 when they created sophisticated versions of vacuum tubes. • Some of the first computers were made out of vacuum tubes. (1946)

Second Generation1959 - 1965

Second Generation (1959 – 1965) • Key Component – Transistors • Getting smaller & faster • Built for “Specific” purposes • Has memory • Magnetic tape replaces Punch cards • High-level computer languages (people-oriented such as BASIC & COBOL) • First commercial computers • Can only do 1 program at time

Created by Julius Edgar Lilienfeld. The transistor is a semiconductor used to amplify a switches electronic signals. Transistors are made with a semiconductor material with at least three terminals. They can be built very compact, more than 1,000,000 per square centimeter on a silicon chip. Replaced vacuum tubes. Patented-1925 Used on the telephone-1947 Used on computers late 1950’s through 1960’s. Transistor Transistors are what we use to make the computer code of 1’s and 0’s much faster. They can be switched on and off very rapidly by switching every 0.000000001 Seconds. • By:Chris Woof

Third Generation1965 - 1971

Third Generation (1965 – 1971) • Key Component – Integrated or Etched Circuitry • Mini-computers • Operating speeds measured in billionth of a second • Multi-processing • Keyboards • ‘Computer Literacy’ begins

Fourth Generation1971 -

Fourth Generation (1971 - ) • Key Component – Microprocessors (Micro Chips) • Micro-computers (Personal computers) • Can be mass-produced • Data communication networks (Internet)

Microprocessor • The microprocessor is also known as the CPU (or the brain of the computer). • It is connected to the circuit board.

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The Evolution Of Computer | Generations of Computer

The development of computers has been a wonderful journey that has covered several centuries and is defined by a number of inventions and advancements made by our greatest scientists. Because of these scientists, we are using now the latest technology in the computer system.

Now we have Laptops , Desktop computers , notebooks , etc. which we are using today to make our lives easier, and most importantly we can communicate with the world from anywhere around the world with these things.

So, In today’s blog, I want you to explore the journey of computers with me that has been made by our scientists.

Note: If you haven’t read our History of Computer blog then must read first then come over here

let’s look at the evolution of computers/generations of computers

COMPUTER GENERATIONS

Computer generations are essential to understanding computing technology’s evolution. It divides computer history into periods marked by substantial advancements in hardware, software, and computing capabilities. So the first period of computers started from the year 1940 in the first generation of computers. let us see…

Table of Contents

Generations of computer

The generation of classified into five generations:

• First Generation Computer (1940-1956)
• Second Generation Computer (1956-1963)
• Third Generation Computer(1964-1971)
• Fourth Generation Computer(1971-Present)
• Fifth Generation Computer(Present and Beyond)

1. FIRST GENERATION COMPUTER: Vacuum Tubes (1940-1956)

The first generation of computers is characterized by the use of “Vacuum tubes” It was developed in 1904 by the British engineer “John Ambrose Fleming” . A vacuum tube is an electronic device used to control the flow of electric current in a vacuum. It is used in CRT(Cathode Ray Tube) TV , Radio , etc.

The first general-purpose programmable electronic computer was the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) which was completed in 1945 and introduced on Feb 14, 1946, to the public. It was built by two American engineers “J. Presper Eckert” and “John V Mauchly” at the University of Pennsylvania.

The ENIAC was 30-50 feet long, 30 tons weighted, contained 18000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 registers, and 10,000 capacitors, and it required 150000 watts of electricity, which makes it very expensive.

Later, Eckert and Mauchly developed the first commercially successful computer named UNIVAC(Univeral Automatic Computer) in 1952 .

Examples are ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer), UNIVAC-1 (Univeral Automatic Computer-1)

• These computers were designed by using vacuum tubes.
• These generations’ computers were simple architecture.
• These computers calculate data in a millisecond.
• This computer is used for scientific purposes.

DISADVANTAGES

• The computer was very costly.
• Very large.
• It takes up a lot of space and electricity
• The speed of these computers was very slow
• It is used for commercial purposes.
• It is very expensive.
• These computers heat a lot.
• Cooling is needed to operate these types of computers because they heat up very quickly.

2. SECOND GENERATION COMPUTER: Transistors (1956-1963)

The second generation of computers is characterized by the use of “Transistors” and it was developed in 1947 by three American physicists “John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley” .

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals or open or close a circuit. It was invented in Bell labs, The transistors became the key ingredient of all digital circuits, including computers.

The invention of transistors replaced the bulky electric tubes from the first generation of computers.

Transistors perform the same functions as a Vacuum tube , except that electrons move through instead of through a vacuum. Transistors are made of semiconducting materials and they control the flow of electricity.

It is smaller than the first generation of computers, it is faster and less expensive compared to the first generation of computers. The second-generation computer has a high level of programming languages, including FORTRAN (1956), ALGOL (1958), and COBOL (1959).

Examples are PDP-8 (Programmed Data Processor-8), IBM1400 (International business machine 1400 series), IBM 7090 (International business machine 7090 series), CDC 3600 ( Control Data Corporation 3600 series)

ADVANTAGES:

• It is smaller in size as compared to the first-generation computer
• It used less electricity
• Not heated as much as the first-generation computer.
• It has better speed

DISADVANTAGES:

• It is also costly and not versatile
• still, it is expensive for commercial purposes
• Cooling is still needed
• Punch cards were used for input
• The computer is used for a particular purpose

3. THIRD GENERATION COMPUTER: Integrated Circuits (1964-1971)

The Third generation of computers is characterized by the use of “Integrated Circuits” It was developed in 1958 by two American engineers “Robert Noyce” & “Jack Kilby” . The integrated circuit is a set of electronic circuits on small flat pieces of semiconductor that is normally known as silicon. The transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips which are called semiconductors, which drastically increased the efficiency and speed of the computers.

These ICs (integrated circuits) are popularly known as chips. A single IC has many transistors, resistors, and capacitors built on a single slice of silicon.

This development made computers smaller in size, low cost, large memory, and processing. The speed of these computers is very high and it is efficient and reliable also.

These generations of computers have a higher level of languages such as Pascal PL/1, FORTON-II to V, COBOL, ALGOL-68, and BASIC(Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was developed during these periods.

Examples are NCR 395 (National Cash Register), IBM 360,370 series, B6500

• These computers are smaller in size as compared to previous generations
• It consumed less energy and was more reliable
• More Versatile
• It produced less heat as compared to previous generations
• These computers are used for commercial and as well as general-purpose
• These computers used a fan for head discharge to prevent damage
• This generation of computers has increased the storage capacity of computers
• Still, a cooling system is needed.
• It is still very costly
• Sophisticated Technology is required to manufacture Integrated Circuits
• It is not easy to maintain the IC chips.
• The performance of these computers is degraded if we execute large applications.

4. FOURTH GENERATION OF COMPUTER: Microprocessor (1971-Present)

The fourth generation of computers is characterized by the use of “Microprocessor”. It was invented in the 1970s and It was developed by four inventors named are “Marcian Hoff, Masatoshi Shima, Federico Faggin, and Stanley Mazor “. The first microprocessor named was the “Intel 4004” CPU, it was the first microprocessor that was invented.

A microprocessor contains all the circuits required to perform arithmetic, logic, and control functions on a single chip. Because of microprocessors, fourth-generation includes more data processing capacity than equivalent-sized third-generation computers. Due to the development of microprocessors, it is possible to place the CPU(central processing unit) on a single chip. These computers are also known as microcomputers. The personal computer is a fourth-generation computer. It is the period when the evolution of computer networks takes place.

Examples are APPLE II, Alter 8800

• These computers are smaller in size and much more reliable as compared to other generations of computers.
• The heating issue on these computers is almost negligible
• No A/C or Air conditioner is required in a fourth-generation computer.
• In these computers, all types of higher languages can be used in this generation
• It is also used for the general purpose
• less expensive
• These computers are cheaper and portable
• Fans are required to operate these kinds of computers
• It required the latest technology for the need to make microprocessors and complex software
• These computers were highly sophisticated
• It also required advanced technology to make the ICs(Integrated circuits)

5. FIFTH GENERATION OF COMPUTERS (Present and beyond)

These generations of computers were based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology. Artificial technology is the branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans and allowing the computer to make its own decisions currently, no computers exhibit full artificial intelligence (that is, can simulate human behavior).

In the fifth generation of computers, VLSI technology and ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology are used and the speed of these computers is extremely high. This generation introduced machines with hundreds of processors that could all be working on different parts of a single program. The development of a more powerful computer is still in progress. It has been predicted that such a computer will be able to communicate in natural spoken languages with its user.

In this generation, computers are also required to use a high level of languages like C language, c++, java, etc.

Examples are Desktop computers, laptops, notebooks, MacBooks, etc. These all are the computers which we are using.

• These computers are smaller in size and it is more compatible
• These computers are mighty cheaper
• It is obviously used for the general purpose
• Higher technology is used
• Development of true artificial intelligence
• Advancement in Parallel Processing and Superconductor Technology.
• It tends to be sophisticated and complex tools
• It pushes the limit of transistor density.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many computer generations are there.

Mainly five generations are there:

First Generation Computer (1940-1956) Second Generation Computer (1956-1963) Third Generation Computer(1964-1971) Fourth Generation Computer(1971-Present) Fifth Generation Computer(Present and Beyond)

Which things were invented in the first generation of computers?

Vacuum Tubes

What is the fifth generation of computers?

The Fifth Generation of computers is entirely based on Artificial Intelligence. Where it predicts that the computer will be able to communicate in natural spoken languages with its user.

What is the latest computer generation?

The latest generation of computers is Fifth which is totally based on Artificial Intelligence.

Who is the inventor of the Integrated Circuit?

“Robert Noyce” and “Jack Bily”

What is the full form of ENIAC ?

ENIAC Stands for “Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer” .

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Generations of Computers – Computer Fundamentals

Generations of Computer : 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. 

Basic Terms Related to Computers

The basic terms related to generations of computers are listed below.

• Vacuum Tube: Vacuum tubes have the functionality of controlling the flow of electronics in a vacuum. Generally, it is used in switches, amplifiers, radios, televisions, etc.
• Transistor: A transistor helps in controlling the flow of electricity in devices, it works as an amplifier or a switch.
• Integrated Circuit (IC): Integrated circuits are silicon chips that contain their circuit elements like transistors, resistors, etc.
• Microprocessors: Microprocessors are the components that contain the CPU and its circuits and are present in the Integrated Circuit.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The CPU is called the brain of the computer. CPU performs processing and operations work.
• Magnetic Drum: Magnetic Drum is like a cylinder that stores data and cylinder.
• Magnetic Core: Magnetic cores are used to store information. These are arrays of small rings.
• Machine Language: Machine Language is the language that a computer accepts (in the form of binary digits). It is also called low-level programming language.
• Memory: Memory is used to store data, information, and program in a computer.
• Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence deals with creating intelligent machines and behaviors.

Phases of Computer Generations

This long period is often conveniently divided into the subsequent phases called computer generations.

• First Generation Computers (1940-1956)
• Second Generation Computers (1956-1963)
• Third Generation Computers (1964-1971)
• Fourth Generation Computers (1971-Present)
• Fifth Generation Computers (Present and Beyond)

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. 

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)

First Generation Computers

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 consume a lot of electricity. Punch cards were used for improving the information for external storage. Magnetic card used . Machine and assembly language is developed.

Examples of some main first-generation computers are mentioned below.

• ENIAC: Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, built by J. Presper Eckert and John V. Mauchly was a general-purpose computer. It had been cumbersome, and large, and contained 18,000 vacuum tubes.
• EDVAC: Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer was designed by von Neumann. It could store data also as instruction and thus the speed was enhanced.
• UNIVAC: Universal Automatic Computer was developed in 1952 by Eckert and Mauchly.

Vacuum Tube

Characteristics of First-Generation Computers

Second generation computers.

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.

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.

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).

Characteristics of Second-Generation Computers

Third generation computers.

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 was designed to make the machine work. Operating system was a program designed to handle a machine completely. Because of the operating system machine could execute multiple jobs simultaneously. Integrated circuits were used to replace many transistors used in the second generation.

A single IC has many transistors, registers, and capacitors built on one thin slice of silicon. The value size was reduced and memory space and dealing efficiency were increased during this generation. Programming was now wiped out Higher level languages like BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). Minicomputers find their shape during this era.

Integrated Circuit

Characteristics of Third-Generation Computers

Fourth generation computers.

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 even smaller size of computers, with larger capacities. That’s not enough, 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 micro processor.

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.

Microprocessor

Characteristics of Fourth-Generation  Computers

Fifth generation computers.

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.

AI-Based Computers

Characteristics of Fifth-Generation Computers

Faqs on generations of computer, 1. what are the 5 types of generation of computer.

The five generations of computers are: 1. First Generation (1940s-1950s): Characterized by vacuum tubes and punched cards. Examples: ENIAC, UNIVAC. 2. Second Generation (1950s-1960s): Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, allowing smaller and more efficient computers. Introduction of high-level programming languages. Examples: IBM 1401, IBM 7094. 3. Third Generation (1960s-1970s): Integrated circuits (ICs) replaced transistors, leading to smaller and faster computers. Introduction of operating systems. Examples: IBM System/360, DEC PDP-11. 4. Fourth Generation (1970s-1980s): Microprocessors brought computing power to individual users. Introduction of personal computers. Examples: IBM PC, Apple Macintosh. 5. Fifth Generation (1980s-Present): Focus on parallel processing, artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language processing. Development of supercomputers and expert systems. Ongoing advancements in AI and machine learning. Examples: IBM Watson, Google’s DeepMind.

2. What is Gen Z technology?

Gen Z technology encompasses the digital tools and platforms that define the experiences of individuals born roughly between the mid-1990s and early 2010s. This generation is characterized by its seamless integration of smartphones, social media, online collaboration, and video content into daily life, shaping their communication, learning, and entertainment habits.

3. What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence in machines. It involves programming computers to think, learn, and perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence, such as problem-solving and decision-making. AI encompasses subfields like machine learning and natural language processing, with applications ranging from virtual assistants to autonomous vehicles.

4. What was the First Computer?

The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), completed in 1945, is widely regarded as the first electronic general-purpose computer.

5. Who is Known as the Father of Computers?

Charles Babbage is known as the Father of Computers for his pioneering work on the concept of a programmable mechanical computer in the 19th century.

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Generation of computer.

Last Updated on October 16, 2023 by Ankit Kochar

The history of computers is a fascinating tale of innovation, progress, and transformation. From the early days of room-sized machines with limited capabilities to the pocket-sized supercomputers we carry in our pockets today, the evolution of computers can be categorized into generations, each marked by significant technological advancements. In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a journey through the generations of computers, exploring their development, key features, and the profound impact they have had on our lives.

How can it be defined as the term generation?

With the latest technology, new parts and computers are launched under the term "generation." For example, the Intel Pentium and Intel Pentium II computer processors, which belong to two separate eras, are both IBM-compatible CPUs. Another illustration of different computer generations is the Apple II and ENIAC. The updated generation may come with the newest features and abilities that either render older generations of gadgets incompatible or outdated or make them more suited than earlier generations.

Basic Terms Of Generations of Computer

The basic terms of generations of computers are as follows:

Vacuum Tube – A piece of electronics that regulates the movement of electrons in a vacuum. Many older radios, TVs, computers, etc. use it as a switch, amplifier, or display screen.

Transistor – An electrical component with switch and amplifier functions. In radios, televisions, computers, and other devices, it is used to regulate the flow of power.

Integrated Circuit(IC) – A microelectronic circuit that is printed on a silicon chip and has a large number of its own circuit components (e.g. transistors, diodes, resistors, etc.).

Microprocessor – An electrical component that is part of an integrated circuit that houses the CPU and other related circuits of a computer.

CPU(Central Processing Unit) – The majority of processing and operations occur here, which is sometimes referred to as the brain or engine of a computer (CPU is part of a microprocessor).

Magnetic Drum – A magnetically coated cylinder that may be used to store data and programs

Magnetic Core – Information is stored via a system of cores, which are collections of tiny magnetised rings.

Machine Language – A low-level programming language that the computer can read and understand that is made up of a series of binary numbers (ones and zeros).

Assembly Language – Similar to the machine language a computer can comprehend, assembly language substitutes shortened words for numbers (e.g., ADD, SUB, DIV..) (0s and 1s).

Memory – A physical object used in computers to store data, information, and programs.

Artificial Intelligence – A field of computer science that focuses on modelling and building intelligent machines or intelligent computer behaviour (they think, learn, work, and react like humans).

With the advent of your time, the modern computer began to take shape. The development of the computer had begun in the sixteenth century. Numerous improvements were made to the original computer. It continued to advance in terms of speed, accuracy, size, and cost in order to push the design of the current day computer.

This extensive time is frequently easily split into the following segments known as computer generations:

• First Generation Computers (1940-1956)
• Second Generation Computers (1956-1963)
• Third Generation Computers (1964-1971)
• Fourth Generation Computers (1971-Present)
• Fifth Generation Computers (Present and Beyond)

Before there were spreadsheets, computer algebra systems, or graphing calculators, mathematicians and innovators looked for ways to make calculations easier. Here are the eight mechanical calculators used prior to the development of modern computers.

• 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)

You must have used computers as you grew up since they are necessary tools. Additionally, there’s a decent probability that you still use a computer on a regular basis. Have you ever questioned the true nature of a computer? Do you know what computer generation is?

It’s excellent that you want to know the answers to these questions. Both of these queries will be thoroughly addressed in this post.

Let’s start by discussing what computers imply. Computers are electrical devices used to manipulate information or data, according to experts. Information can also be stored, retrieved, and processed by computers. People utilise computers in today’s world to type documents, play games, send emails, and browse the internet. These tools may also be used to make or modify films, spreadsheets, and presentations.

It may interest you to know that the development of computers started somewhere in the 1940s. The first generation of computers was developed at that period. Other computer generations have since been created by professionals. There are now five different computer generations.

Generation is a computer term in the world of electronics and technology. This phrase describes the transformation that a computer experiences. Previously, the word "generation" was used to describe the differences between various hardware innovations. Today, generation can refer to both the hardware and the software, which together make up the total computer system.

We shall talk about these five computer generations in the remaining sections of the text. An overview of these generations is necessary before we get into the specifics.

Evolution of Computer Generation

The Generation of Computer Evolution is Generally Divided Into 5 Categories.

The First Generation of Computers- (the 1940s-1950s)

• Vacuum tubes were the primary electronic component used in computers between the years of 1940 and 1950.
• Magnetic tapes and magnetic drums served as the primary memory storage devices.
• The programming language was the machine language.
• In the past, the sizes were enormous and could fill entire rooms, and the speed was incredibly sluggish.
• Paper tape and punched cards served as the only input and output mechanisms.
• The computers were built using over 100 different vacuum tubes.
• Examples include the UNIVAC1, ENIAC, IBM 701 and 650, among others.

Advantages of the First-Generation Computer

• When it came to calculation speed, these computers were quick. Millisecond calculations might be used.
• These computers employed vacuum tubes, which were the electronic components that were readily accessible at the time.

Disadvantages of the First-Generation Computer

• These computers weighed around 30 tonnes and were incredibly large, taking up a lot of room.
• These expensive, vacuum tube-based computers were incredibly expensive.
• They were only able to hold a minimal quantity of information because of the magnetic drums.
• Vacuum tubes, which the earliest generation of computers used, require a huge cooling system.
• They were less effective in their jobs and used a lot of energy.
• They had limited programming capability and used punch cards for input.

The Second Generation of Computers- (the 1950s-1960s)

• Transistors were the primary electronic component used in computers from the 1950s through the 1960s.
• Magnetic tape or disc and magnetic core served as the primary memory storage devices.
• The programming language utilised was assembly language.
• Compared to the first generation, the sizes were smaller, and they used to use less electricity and produce less heat.
• The pace of things increased.
• Magnetic tape and punched cards served as the input and output components.
• IBM 1401, IBM 7094 AND IBM 7090, UNIVAC 110 7, and other systems are examples.

Advantages of the Second Generation of Computers

• Transistors, as opposed to vacuum tubes, were used to reduce the size of the electron component. As a result, such computers were smaller in size than those from the preceding generation.
• Due to the initial generation of computers, these computers used less energy and did not generate as much heat.
• Punch cards and Assembly language were both employed as input methods in these machines.
• It was more portable and affordable than the first generation.
• These computers were also speedier since they could compute data in microseconds.

Disadvantages of the Second Generation of Computers

• It needed a cooling system and ongoing upkeep.
• Additionally, these computers were solely employed to do a certain task.

The Third Generation of Computers- (the 1960s-1970s)

• Integrated circuits (ICs) were the primary electronic components used in computers from the 1960s through the 1970s.
• The magnetic disc or take and a large magnetic core served as the memory storage components.
• The programming language was a high-level language like BASIC, COBOL, or Pascal.
• Minicomputers were the name given to the more compact and effective computers.
• Compared to the second generation of computers, there was an advance in speed and dependability.
• Keyboards, a magnetic tape monitor, a printer, etc. were the input and output equipment.
• IBM 370, IBM 360, UNIVAC 1108, and more examples come to mind.

Advantages of the Third Generation of Computers

• These computers were less expensive than those of the second generation.
• The integrated circuits utilised by the computers of this generation reduced their size. Additionally, they were dependable and swifter.
• The adoption of an integrated circuit not only helped to make computers smaller, but it also improved their performance when compared to second-generation computers.
• Large storage capacities were introduced with the third generation of computers.
• Instead of punch cards, keyboard and mouse were utilised in these computers to input data.
• The calculating times on computers of this generation were substantially faster, going from microseconds to nanoseconds.
• These computers also utilised operating systems, various programming languages, and the time-sharing idea for improved performance.

Disadvantages of the Third Generation of Computers

• These computers required air conditioning.
• IC chips are difficult to maintain and require highly advanced technology to manufacture.

The Fourth Generation of Computers- (1970s-present)

• The fourth generation of computers’ primary electronic components are microprocessors and extremely large scale integration (VLSI).
• VLSI is the term used to describe a single microchip that has thousands of transistors attached to it.
• The introduction of semiconductor memory storage devices like RAM and ROM.
• The contents of RAM (random-access memory), which is used to temporarily store applications and data, are erased when the computer is turned off.
• The contents of ROM (read-only memory), which permanently saves the data and applications, remain kept even after the computer has been turned down.
• Programming languages include high-level ones like C#, Java, Python, and JavaScript.
• Both the sizes and the pace have decreased.
• The input/output devices include a keyboard, mouse, printer, and monitor.

Advantages of the Fourth Generation of Computers

• The first benefit of the current generation of computers is that they are smaller and do computations more quickly than their predecessors.
• It requires little upkeep and produces very little heat.
• These computers allow for the usage of any high-level language.

Disadvantages of the Fourth Generation of Computers

• The microprocessor is complex in both its construction and design.
• Air cooling is frequently required since integrated circuits are so common.
• Modern technology is necessary to create integrated circuits.

Lets discuss Latest generation of computers.

The Fifth Generation of Computers- (present and the future)

• Artificial intelligence, which employs the parallel processing approach and ultra-large scale integration, is the primary electrical component utilised in the current generation of computers (ULSI).
• The fifth generation of computers is capable of understanding spoken language.
• Both the speeds and the sizes are really quick.
• The fifth generation of computers are mobile and provide a tonne of storage.
• Keyboards, displays, touchscreen pens, printers, light scanners, and other devices are examples of input/output devices.
• Tablets, cellphones, laptops, and desktop computers are among examples.

Advantages of the Fifth Generation of Computers

• It comes in different sizes and has distinctive characteristics.
• It is more dependable and capable of working considerably more quickly.
• It provides computers with multimedia functions and a friendlier user interface (UI).

Disadvantages of the Fifth Generation of Computers

• Low-level languages are needed in these machines.
• They could damage human brains by rendering them boring and hopeless.

Conclusion The generations of computers represent not just a progression of technology but a testament to human ingenuity and our relentless pursuit of innovation. Throughout this journey, we’ve witnessed the remarkable transformation of computers from room-sized giants with limited capabilities to the sleek and powerful devices that empower us today.

As we look back at the five generations of computers, we can appreciate the tremendous impact they’ve had on our lives and the way we work, communicate, and explore the world. With each new generation, computers have become more accessible, efficient, and integrated into our daily routines.

As we move into the future, the sixth generation of computers promises even greater strides in technology, including quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced robotics. These developments will continue to shape our world and push the boundaries of what is possible.

FAQ related to Generations of Computer

Here are FAQs related to the generation of computers.

1. What are the five generations of computers? The five generations of computers are:

• First Generation (1940s-1950s): Vacuum tube-based computers.
• Second Generation (1950s-1960s): Transistor-based computers.
• Third Generation (1960s-1970s): Integrated circuit-based computers.
• Fourth Generation (1970s-1990s): Microprocessor-based computers.
• Fifth Generation (1990s-present): Highly interconnected and intelligent systems.

2. What are some key characteristics of each computer generation?

• First Generation: Used vacuum tubes, large size, limited processing power.
• Second Generation: Featured transistors, smaller and more reliable.
• Third Generation: Introduced integrated circuits, reduced size and power consumption.
• Fourth Generation: Utilized microprocessors, personal computers emerged.
• Fifth Generation: Focused on parallel processing, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing.

3. What is the significance of Moore’s Law in the development of computers? Moore’s Law, proposed by Gordon Moore in 1965, observes that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years, leading to exponential growth in computing power and performance. It has been a guiding principle in the advancement of computer technology.

4. What can we expect from the sixth generation of computers? The sixth generation of computers is expected to bring revolutionary technologies such as quantum computing, advanced artificial intelligence, and highly interconnected systems. These innovations will enable computers to solve complex problems, process vast amounts of data, and interact with humans in more natural ways.

5. How have computers impacted various industries and daily life? Computers have transformed industries such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and entertainment. They have also revolutionized communication, research, education, and entertainment. Computers have become an integral part of modern life, streamlining processes, enabling new possibilities, and enhancing productivity.

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Mikhail Lukin (left) and Can Knaut with a quantum network node.

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Glimpse of next-generation internet

Physicists demo first metro-area quantum computer network in Boston

Anne J. Manning

Harvard Staff Writer

It’s one thing to dream up a next-generation quantum internet capable of sending highly complex, hacker-proof information around the world at ultra-fast speeds. It’s quite another to physically show it’s possible.

That’s exactly what Harvard physicists have done, using existing Boston-area telecommunication fiber, in a demonstration of the world’s longest fiber distance between two quantum memory nodes. Think of it as a simple, closed internet carrying a signal encoded not by classical bits like the existing internet, but by perfectly secure, individual particles of light.

The  groundbreaking work , published in Nature, was led by Mikhail Lukin, the Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor in the Department of Physics, in collaboration with Harvard professors  Marko Lončar  and  Hongkun Park , who are all members of the  Harvard Quantum Initiative . The Nature   work was carried out with researchers at  Amazon Web Services .

The Harvard team established the practical makings of the first quantum internet by entangling two quantum memory nodes separated by optical fiber link deployed over a roughly 22-mile loop through Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, and Boston. The two nodes were located a floor apart in Harvard’s Laboratory for Integrated Science and Engineering.

Map showing path of two-node quantum network through Boston and Cambridge.

Credit: Can Knaut via OpenStreetMap

Quantum memory, analogous to classical computer memory, is an important component of a quantum computing future because it allows for complex network operations and information storage and retrieval. While other quantum networks have been created in the past, the Harvard team’s is the longest fiber network between devices that can store, process, and move information.

Each node is a very small quantum computer, made out of a sliver of diamond that has a defect in its atomic structure called a silicon-vacancy center. Inside the diamond, carved structures smaller than a hundredth the width of a human hair enhance the interaction between the silicon-vacancy center and light.

“Showing that quantum network nodes can be entangled in the real-world environment of a very busy urban area is an important step toward practical networking between quantum computers.” Mikhail Lukin

The silicon-vacancy center contains two qubits, or bits of quantum information: one in the form of an electron spin used for communication, and the other in a longer-lived nuclear spin used as a memory qubit to store entanglement, the quantum-mechanical property that allows information to be perfectly correlated across any distance.

(In classical computing, information is stored and transmitted as a series of discrete binary signals, say on/off, that form a kind of decision tree. Quantum computing is more fluid, as information can exist in stages between on and off, and is stored and transferred as shifting patterns of particle movement across two entangled points.)

Using silicon-vacancy centers as quantum memory devices for single photons has been a multiyear research program at Harvard. The technology solves a major problem in the theorized quantum internet: signal loss that can’t be boosted in traditional ways.

A quantum network cannot use standard optical-fiber signal repeaters because simple copying of quantum information as discrete bits is impossible — making the information secure, but also very hard to transport over long distances.

Silicon-vacancy-center-based network nodes can catch, store, and entangle bits of quantum information while correcting for signal loss. After cooling the nodes to close to absolute zero, light is sent through the first node and, by nature of the silicon vacancy center’s atomic structure, becomes entangled with it, so able to carry the information.

“Since the light is already entangled with the first node, it can transfer this entanglement to the second node,” explained first author Can Knaut, a Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences student in Lukin’s lab. “We call this photon-mediated entanglement.”

Over the last several years, the researchers have leased optical fiber from a company in Boston to run their experiments, fitting their demonstration network on top of the existing fiber to indicate that creating a quantum internet with similar network lines would be possible.

“Showing that quantum network nodes can be entangled in the real-world environment of a very busy urban area is an important step toward practical networking between quantum computers,” Lukin said.

A two-node quantum network is only the beginning. The researchers are working diligently to extend the performance of their network by adding nodes and experimenting with more networking protocols.

The paper is titled “Entanglement of Nanophotonic Quantum Memory Nodes in a Telecom Network.” The work was supported by the AWS Center for Quantum Networking’s research alliance with the Harvard Quantum Initiative, the National Science Foundation, the Center for Ultracold Atoms (an NSF Physics Frontiers Center), the Center for Quantum Networks (an NSF Engineering Research Center), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and other sources.

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