Computer Awareness- Generations of Computers

5 Generation of Computers- Study Notes for Exams

First Generation Computer (1946-1959) - Vacuum Tubes

• Vacuum tubes was invented by John A Fleming in 1904.
• The first computer used vacuum tubes for circuitary and magnetic drums for memory.
• The first generation computer relied on machine language, the lowest level programming language understood by computers to perform operations.
• Input was based on punch cards, and paper tapes and output was displayed in printouts.
• UNIVAC,ENIAC, IBM 701, IBM 650 ,EDVAC, EDSAC, BINAC are other examples.
• UNIVAC was first delivered to the US census Bureau in 1951.

Second Generation Computer (1959- 1965)- Transistors

• Transistor replaced vacuum tubes.
• Transistor was invented by William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Barttain in 1947 in Bell Labs.
• Second generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for outputs.
• Second generation computer moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic or assembly language.
• High level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL. FORTRAN and BASIC.
• Examples of second generation computers are IBM 1400 series, IBM 7000 series, Control Data 3600, GE 635, Honey Well 200, PDP, PDP I and UNIVAC 1108.
• The GE-600 series was a family of 36 bit mainframe computers originating in the 1960's.

Third Generation C0mputer (1965-1971)-  Integrated Circuit

• IC Chips invented by Jack Kilby in 1951.
• Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operatung system,
• Computers for the first time become accesible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
• Report Programme Generator and PASCAL were introduced.
• Exaples of thirrd generation computers are IBM-360 series, Honeywell-6000 series, IBM-370/168, TDC-316, ICL-1900 series .

Fourth Generation Computer (1971- 1980)- Microprocessors

• Fourth Generation used VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration)
• VLSI is nicknamed as miracle chip.
• Used Pipeline processing.
• Concept of Internet was used,
• Languages used are C++, SQL etc.
• Examples are DEC 10, STAR 1000, PDP II, CRAY-1 (Super computer), IBM 3090, CFRAY-2

Fifth Generation Computer( 1980-present) Artificial Intelligence

• The VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) Technology.
• Based on parallel processing hardware and AI(Artificial intelligence) Software.
• AI used in Robotics, Neural Networks, Game playing.
• Development of expert systems to make decision in real life situations.