History of Computer Generation
The history of computers can be understood by looking into five generations. With each new generation of computers, there had been advancement in computer technology. The circuitry became smaller with enhanced speed, less consumption of power, and efficient memory.
Therefore, each generation of computers is characterized by a major technological development that has drastically changed how computers operate.
History of Computer Generation
First Generation (1942 - 1955)
Hardware Technology: First-generation computers were manufactured using thousands of vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube is a device of fragile glass.
Software technology: Programming was done in machine language or assembly language
Used for: Scientific applications
Examples: ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC, UNIVAC I, IBM 701
Highlights :- They were the fastest calculating device of those times.
- Computers were too bulky and required complete room storage.
- Highly unreliable as vacuum tubes emitted a large amount of heat and burnt frequently.
- Required air-conditioned room for installation.
- Costly.
- Difficult to use
- Required constant maintenance because vacuum tubes used filaments that had a limited lifetime. Therefore these computers were prone to frequent hardware failures
Second Generation (1955-1964)
Hardware Technology: Second-generation computers were manufactured using transistors. Transistors were reliable, powerful, cheaper, smaller, and cooler than vacuum tubes.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language.
Used for: Scientific and commercial applications
Examples: Honeywell 400, IBM 7030, CDC 1604,UNIVAC LARC
Highlights:- Faster, smaller, cheaper, reliable, and easier to use than the first generation computers.
- Consumed 1/10th of the power consumed by first-generation computers.
- Bulky in size and required a complete room for its installation.
- Dissipated less heat than first-generation computers but still required air-conditioned room.
- Costly.
- Difficult to use.
Third Generation (1964-1975)
Hardware Technology: Third-generation computers were manufactured using integrated chips (IC). IC's consist of several components such as transistors, capacitors, and resistors on a single chip to avoid wired interconnection between components. These computers used SSI and MSI technology. Minicomputers came into existence.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, and BASIC.
Used for: Scientific, commercial, and interactive online applications.
Examples: IBM 360/370, PDP-8, PADP-11, CDC6600
Highlights:- Faster, smaller, cheaper, reliable, and easier to use than the second generation computers.
- They consumed less power than second-generation computers.
- Bulky in size and required a complete room for its installation.
- Dissipated less heat than second-generation computers but still required air-conditioned room.
- Costly.
- Easier to use and upgrade.
Fourth Generation (1975-1989)
Hardware Technology: Fourth generation computers were manufactured using ICs with LSI (Large Scale Integrated) and later with VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) technology, Microcomputers came into existence, and the use of personal computers became widespread during this period. High-speed computer networks in the form of LANs, WANs, and MANs started growing. Besides mainframes, supercomputers were also used.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as C++ andJava. A graphical user interface (GUI) based operating system (like Windows) was introduced. It had icons and menus among other features to allow computers to be used as a general-purpose machine by all users
Used for: Scientific, commercial, interactive online, and network applications,
Example: IBM PC, Apple II, TRS-80, VAX 9000, CRAY-1, CRAY-2, CRAY-X/MP
Highlights: - Faster
- Smaller,
- Cheaper,
- Powerful
- Reliable
- Easier to use than the previous generation computers.
Fifth Generation (1989-Present)
Hardware Technology: Fifth-generation computers were manufactured using ICs with ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integrated) technology as shown in Figure 1.6. The use of the Internet became widespread. Very powerful mainframes, desktops, portable laptops, and smartphones are being used commonly. Supercomputers use parallel processing techniques.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as Java, Python, and C#.
Used for: Scientific, commercial, interactive online, multimedia (graphics, audio, video), and network applications.
Examples: IBM notebooks, Pentium PCs, SUM workstations, IBM SP/2, Param supercomputer.
Highlights:- Faster, smaller, cheaper, powerful, reliable, and easier to use than the previous generation computers.
- The speed of microprocessors and the size of memory are growing rapidly.
- High-end features available on mainframe computers in the fourth ULSI generation are now available on the microprocessors.
- Consume less power than the computers of prior generations.
- Air-conditioned rooms are required for mainframes and supercomputers but not for microprocessors.
So this is the history of computer generation. I hope this will be helpful for you.
Thanks for visiting here.
The history of computers can be understood by looking into five generations. With each new generation of computers, there had been advancement in computer technology. The circuitry became smaller with enhanced speed, less consumption of power, and efficient memory.
Therefore, each generation of computers is characterized by a major technological development that has drastically changed how computers operate.
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| History of Computer Generation |
First Generation (1942 - 1955)
Hardware Technology: First-generation computers were manufactured using thousands of vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube is a device of fragile glass.
Software technology: Programming was done in machine language or assembly language
Used for: Scientific applications
Examples: ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC, UNIVAC I, IBM 701
Highlights :
- They were the fastest calculating device of those times.
- Computers were too bulky and required complete room storage.
- Highly unreliable as vacuum tubes emitted a large amount of heat and burnt frequently.
- Required air-conditioned room for installation.
- Costly.
- Difficult to use
- Required constant maintenance because vacuum tubes used filaments that had a limited lifetime. Therefore these computers were prone to frequent hardware failures
Second Generation (1955-1964)
Hardware Technology: Second-generation computers were manufactured using transistors. Transistors were reliable, powerful, cheaper, smaller, and cooler than vacuum tubes.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language.
Used for: Scientific and commercial applications
Examples: Honeywell 400, IBM 7030, CDC 1604,UNIVAC LARC
Highlights:
- Faster, smaller, cheaper, reliable, and easier to use than the first generation computers.
- Consumed 1/10th of the power consumed by first-generation computers.
- Bulky in size and required a complete room for its installation.
- Dissipated less heat than first-generation computers but still required air-conditioned room.
- Costly.
- Difficult to use.
Third Generation (1964-1975)
Hardware Technology: Third-generation computers were manufactured using integrated chips (IC). IC's consist of several components such as transistors, capacitors, and resistors on a single chip to avoid wired interconnection between components. These computers used SSI and MSI technology. Minicomputers came into existence.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, and BASIC.
Used for: Scientific, commercial, and interactive online applications.
Examples: IBM 360/370, PDP-8, PADP-11, CDC6600
Highlights:
- Faster, smaller, cheaper, reliable, and easier to use than the second generation computers.
- They consumed less power than second-generation computers.
- Bulky in size and required a complete room for its installation.
- Dissipated less heat than second-generation computers but still required air-conditioned room.
- Costly.
- Easier to use and upgrade.
Fourth Generation (1975-1989)
Hardware Technology: Fourth generation computers were manufactured using ICs with LSI (Large Scale Integrated) and later with VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) technology, Microcomputers came into existence, and the use of personal computers became widespread during this period. High-speed computer networks in the form of LANs, WANs, and MANs started growing. Besides mainframes, supercomputers were also used.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as C++ and
Java. A graphical user interface (GUI) based operating system (like Windows) was introduced. It had icons and menus among other features to allow computers to be used as a general-purpose machine by all users
Used for: Scientific, commercial, interactive online, and network applications,
Example: IBM PC, Apple II, TRS-80, VAX 9000, CRAY-1, CRAY-2, CRAY-X/MP
Highlights:
- Faster
- Smaller,
- Cheaper,
- Powerful
- Reliable
- Easier to use than the previous generation computers.
Fifth Generation (1989-Present)
Hardware Technology: Fifth-generation computers were manufactured using ICs with ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integrated) technology as shown in Figure 1.6. The use of the Internet became widespread. Very powerful mainframes, desktops, portable laptops, and smartphones are being used commonly. Supercomputers use parallel processing techniques.
Software Technology: Programming was done in a high-level programming language such as Java, Python, and C#.
Used for: Scientific, commercial, interactive online, multimedia (graphics, audio, video), and network applications.
Examples: IBM notebooks, Pentium PCs, SUM workstations, IBM SP/2, Param supercomputer.
Highlights:
- Faster, smaller, cheaper, powerful, reliable, and easier to use than the previous generation computers.
- The speed of microprocessors and the size of memory are growing rapidly.
- High-end features available on mainframe computers in the fourth ULSI generation are now available on the microprocessors.
- Consume less power than the computers of prior generations.
- Air-conditioned rooms are required for mainframes and supercomputers but not for microprocessors.
So this is the history of computer generation. I hope this will be helpful for you.
Thanks for visiting here.