Computer Generations

2
1. First Generation (1946-1954)
.
The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for
memory.
.
Large in size;
.
Expensive to operate;
.
Solve one problem at a time.
.
Use great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, hich often cause malfunctions.
.
!emory " elotromagnetic relays
.
#ata and instructions " $unched %ards.
.
&nstructions ere ritten in m'c and assembly languages.
Computer Generations
3
First Generation Computer
4
Drawbacks of First generation computers
(. The high cost of vacuum tubes prevented their use for
main memory.
). These computers ere large in size and riting programs
on them as difficult.
*. These computers are slo in processing and had less
storage capacity.
*. They consumed lots of electricity and produced lots of
heat.
+. Their computing capabilities ere limited.
,. They ere not so accurate and reliable.
-. They used machine level language for programming.

Example. E/&0%, E#S0%,E#10%,U/&10%, &2! -,3 etc

5
6
4a5 0 1acuum tube 4b50 Transistor 4c5 0n &% %hip

Made of germenium semiconductor material.

More Reliable.

Switching speed !" times#

$ower consumption is low!%!" th#

Smaller and ine&pensi'e.

(issipated much less heat.

)
Properties of Transistors
1. econ! Generation (1955-1964)
.
The second6generation computer used transistors for %$U
components 7 magnetic cores for main memory 7 magnetic
dis8s and tapes for secondary memory.
.
9n Softare front 6 :igh6level languages such as ;9<T<0/
4(=,-5, 0L>9L 4(=-35 7 %929L 4(=-3 6 (=-(5.
.
2atch 9perating System.
.
They have no filament and dissipated much less heat.
.
&t is in the second generation that the concept of %entral
$rocessing Unit 4%$U5, memory, programming language and
input and output units ere developed.
*
econ! Generation Computer
+
Features"

(. Transistor replaced the bul8y 1acuum tubes in the first
generation computer.
). $rocessing speed is faster than ;irst >eneration %omputers
4!icro Second5.
*. !ore poerful, more reliable, less expensive and smaller
+. !anufacturing cost as also very lo.
,. The size of the computer got reduced considerably.
-. The input and output devices ere faster.
Example. &2! (+33 and ?333 Series, %#% *-33 etc.
!"
Generation
(#erio!)
$e%&ar!ware
tec&no'ogies
$e%software
tec&no'ogies
$e%
c&aracteristics
ome
representati(e
s%stems
;irst
4(=+)6(=,,5
1acuum tubes
Electromagnetic
relay memory
$unched cards
Secondary
Storage
!achine and
assembly
languages
Storedprogram
concept
!ostlyscientific
0pplications
2ul8yinsize
:ighlyunreliable
Limitedcommercial
useandcostly
#ifficultcommercial
production
#ifficulttouse
E/&0%
E#10%
E#S0%
U/&10%&
&2!?3(
Second
4(=,,6(=-+5
Transistors
!agneticcores
memory
!agnetictapes
and dis8s for
secondary
storage
2atchoperating
system
:igh6level


programming
languages
Scientificand
commercial
0pplications
;aster,smaller,more
reliableandeasierto
programthan
previousgeneration
systems
%ommercial
productionasstill
difficult and costly
:oneyell+33
&2!?3*3
%#%(-3+
U/&10%L0<%
1. )&ir! Generation (1964-19**)
.
2y the development of a small chip consisting of the capacity of the
*33 transistors. These &%s are popularly 8non as %hips.
.
0 single &% has many transistors, resisters and capacitors built on a
single thin slice of silicon. This further reduces the size of the
computer.
.
&% technology is ell 8non as @microelectronicsA, SS&, !S&.
.
Time sharing 9perating Systems, unbundling the hardare and
softare.
.
:igher level language such as 20S&% 42eginners 0ll purpose
Symbolic &nstruction %ode5 as developed during this period.
.
%omputers of this generation ere small in size, lo cost, large
memory and processing speed is very high.
.
1ery soon &%s Bere replaced by LS& 4Large Scale &ntegration5, hich
consisted about (33 components. 0n &% containing about (33
components is called LS&.
!2
)&ir! Generation Computer
!3
Features"
(. They used &ntegrated %ircuit 4&%5 chips in place of the
transistors.

). Semi conductor memory devices ere used.
&ntroduced the concept of random access memory,
larger magnetic tapes and dis8s.
, !2 of main memory.

*. The size as greatly reduced, the speed of processing
as high, they ere more accurate and reliable.

+. Large Scale &ntegration 4LS&5 and 1ery Large Scale
&ntegration 41LS&5 ere also developed.

,. The mini computers ere introduced in this generation.

-. They used high level language for programming.

Example. &2! *-3, &2! *?3 etc.
!4
!5
Generation
(#erio!)
$e%&ar!ware
)ec&no'ogies
$e%software
tec&no'ogies
$e%
c&aracteristics
omerep.
s%stems
Third
4(=-+6(=?,5
&%sithSS&and
!S&technologies
Larger magnetic
cores memory
Larger capacity
dis8sand
magnetictapes
secondarystorage
!inicomputers;
upardcompatible
familyof
%omputers
Timesharing
operating
system
Standardization
ofhigh6level
programming
languages
Unbundling of
softarefrom
:ardare
;aster,smaller,more
reliable,easierand
cheapertoproduce
%ommercially, easier
to use, and easier to
upgradethan
previousgeneration
systems
Scientific,
commercialand
interactiveon6line
0pplications
&2!
*-3'*?3
$#$6C
$#$6((
%#%--33
1. Fourt& Generation
.
0n &% containing about (33 components is called LS& 4Large Scale &ntegration5 and
the one, hich has more than (333 such components, is called as 1LS& 41ery Large
Scale &ntegration5.
.
&t uses large scale &ntegrated %ircuits 4LS&%5 built on a single silicon chip called
microprocessors.
.
#ue to the development of microprocessor it is possible to place computerDs central
processing unit 4%$U5 on single chip. These computers are called microcomputers.
.
Later very large scale &ntegrated %ircuits 41LS&%5 replaced LS&%s.
.
!ain memory used fast semiconductors chips up to + ! bits size.
.
:ard dis8s ere used as secondary memory. Eeyboards, dot matrix printers etc.
ere developed.
.
9S6such as !S6#9S, U/&F, 0ppleDs !acintosh ere available.
.
9bGect oriented language, %HH etc ere developed.
!6
Fourt& Generation Computers
!)
Features"

(. They used !icroprocessor 41LS&5 as their main sitching element.

). They are also called as micro computers or personal computers.

*. Their size varies from des8top to laptop or palmtop.

+. They have very high speed of processing; they are (33I accurate, reliable, diligent
and versatile.

,. They have very large storage capacity.

Example. &2! $%, 0pple6!acintosh etc.
!*
!+
Genera
tion
(#erio!
)
$e%&ar!ware
tec&no'ogies
$e%software
)ec&no'ogies
$e%
c&aracteristics
omerep.
s%stems
;ourth
4(=?,6
(=C=5
&%sith1LS&
Technology
!icroprocessors;
semiconductor
memory
Largercapacityhard
dis8sasin6built
secondarystorage
!agnetictapesand
floppydis8sas
portablestoragemedia
$ersonalcomputers
Supercomputersbased
onparallelvector
processingand
symmetric
multiprocessing
technologies
Spreadofhigh6speed
%omputernetor8s
9peratingsystems
for$%sith>U&and
multipleindoson
asingleterminal
screen
!ultiprocessing9S
ithconcurrent
programming
languages
U/&Foperating
system
%and%HH
programming
language
$%,/etor86based,
andsupercomputing
applications
9bGect6oriented
designand
programming
Small,
affordable,
reliable,and
easytouse$%s
!orepoerful
andreliable
mainframe
systemsand
supercomputers
Totallygeneral
purpose
machines
Easierto
produce
commercially
Easierto
upgrade
<apidsoftare
development
possible
&2!$%
andits
clones
0pple&&
T<S6C3
10F=333
%<0J6(
%<0J6)
%<0J6
F'!$
1. Fift& Generation (1991- continue!)
,
,th generation computers use ULS& 4Ultra6Large Scale &ntegration5
chips. !illions of transistors are placed in a single &% in ULS& chips.
,
-+ bit microprocessors have been developed during this period.
,
#ata flo 7 E$&% architecture of these processors have been
developed.
,
<&S% 7 %&S%, both types of designs are used in modern processors.
,
!emory chips and flash memory up to ( >2, hard dis8s up to -33
>2 7 optical dis8s up to ,3 >2 have been developed.
,
;ifth generation digital computer ill be 0rtificial intelligence.
2"
Fift& Generation Computer
2!
Features"
(. They used !icroprocessor 41LS&5 as their main sitching element.
). They are also called as micro computers or personal computers.
*. Their size varies from des8top to laptop or palmtop.
+. They have very high speed of processing; results are (33I accurate and reliable.
,. They have very large storage capacity.

Example. &2! $%, 0pple6!acintosh etc.
22
23
Generation
(#erio!)
$e%&ar!ware
tec&no'ogies
$e%software
tec&no'ogies
$e%
C&aracteristics
omerep.
s%stems
;ifth
4(=C=6
$resent5
&%sithULS&
technology
Largercapacity
mainmemory,
harddis8sith
<0&#support
9pticaldis8sas
portableread6only
storagemedia
/oteboo8s,
poerfuldes8top
$%sand
or8stations
$oerfulservers,
supercomputers
&nternet
%lustercomputing
BorldBideBeb
!ultimedia,
&nternet
applications
!icro68ernel,
multithreading,
multicore9S
K010
!$&and$1!
librariesfor
parallel
$rogramming
$ortable
computers
$oerful,
cheaper,reliable,
andeasiertouse
des8topmachines
1erypoerful
mainframes
:ighuptimedue
tohot6pluggable
components
>eneralpurpose
machines
Easiertoproduce
%ommercially
&2!noteboo8s
$entium$%s
SU/
Bor8stations
&2!S$')
S>&9rigin)333
$0<0!
Supercomputers