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1st to 5th generation History of Computer

1st  Generation of Computer  (1940-1956)


John Ambrose Fleming created the first generation of computers in 1904, using
vacuum tube technology for computations, storage, and control. The vacuum tubes
and diode valves were the primary components of the earliest computer generations.
To conduct operations, first-generation computers depended on the lowest-level
machine language, and they could only solve a single issue at a time.

The memory in these computers was magnetic drums (were very slow in speed). Even
though the results were not 100 percent precise, punched and magnetic tapes were utilized
for the computer's input and output functions in order to show on printouts.
In addition, the initial generation of computers used an 8-bit CPU.The drawbacks of first-
generation computers were their vast size and weight (made up of thousands of vacuum
tubes), as well as the fact that they took up a lot of space. It was also difficult to move them
once they were maintained in one location. Another disadvantage is the use of a decimal
number system and a large number of switches and connections.They were also highly costly
to run since they used a lot of power and the vacuum tubes created a lot of heat, therefore an
air conditioner was necessary for optimal operation unless the heat caused a malfunction.
The initial generation of computers had the benefit of being able to calculate in milliseconds
(about five thousand sums per second.) The first-generation computers were successfully
used in a variety of disciplines, including weather forecasting, mathematical problem
solving, energy chores, as well as space exploration, military, and other scientific endeavors.

In the first generation of computers, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert discovered the
world's first computer, the "ENIAC" (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer),
between 1943 and 1945.For programming, ENIAC required panel-to-panel wiring and
switches, took up more than 1,000 square feet, had roughly 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.

2nd Generation of Computer (1956-1964)
In 1947, William Shockley created the second generation of computers, which replaced
vacuum tubes with a more dependable component called transistors for computer
manufacture. The transistor was a revolution in the computer sector since it benefited the 2nd
generation computer by improving performance, operating speed (hundreds of thousands of
operations per second), and lowering the computer's power usage. Transistors were
significantly superior to vacuum tubes, allowing computers to become quicker, cheaper, and
more energy-efficient, as well as allowing computing equipment to be smaller, reducing heat
and improving dependability.
The adoption of the first high-level programming languages, which allow programmers to
express commands in words, distinguishes second-generation computers. Early versions of
the COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN programming languages were created
around this period.These were the first computers that used magnetic core technology instead
of a magnetic drum to store their instructions in memory. During this time, a PDP-1
computer ran the first computer game called "Spacewar."

In the chronology of second-generation computers, the central processing unit (CPU), multi-
programming operating systems, programming language, memory, and input and output
units (I / O units) were also created. The main problems of second-generation computers
were that they still used punch cards for input and hard copies for output, that they were
difficult to transport due to their huge size, and that some of them required ACs.
The atomic energy sector, nuclear power plants, and other commercial industries were the
first to adopt this second generation of computers.

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.

3rd Generation of Computer (1964-1971)

Integrated circuits were introduced as the third generation (invented by Jack Kilby in
1958 in the year 1964). An IC (integrated circuit) is made up of numerous tiny
transistors that are placed on semiconductor chips. When scientists joined hundreds of
transistors into a more powerful electronic section called an integrated circuit, this
synchronized chip became a crucial foundation for third-generation computers.
Multiprogramming (where many executable programs are stored in memory) was
adopted at the same time as it reduced their production costs. IBM improved the
phrase "computer architecture" in the mid-1960s. Minicomputers debuted at the end
of the 1960s.
This ground-breaking breakthrough allowed machines to have more
processing power and memory.Instead of punch cards and printouts, users
interacted with an operating system via keyboards and displays, allowing the
device to execute many programs at the same time while a central software
monitored the memory.

As you can see, the computer display made its initial appearance on the
second generation of computers. The innovation belongs to IBM, which
introduced the IBM-2250 commercial display station in 1964. The system/360
series made use of it. The model had a 1212-inch vector monochrome display
with a resolution of 1024-1024 pixels and a refresh rate of 40 Hz. This
innovation changed the many types of displays available today, including
LCD, lED, OLED, and Curved Shaped monitors. The introduction of IC
drastically reduced the size of computers and made movement between
locations much easier. This generation of computers was significantly quicker
and more efficient than the previous generation, and it was also less
expensive.This generation gave birth to high-end languages like PASCAL,
BASIC, FORTRAN II through IV, COBOL, and ALGOL.For the first time, they
gained access to a large audience, allowing computers to infiltrate several
realms of human activity due to their smaller size and lower cost. They turned
out to be more specialized along these lines (i.e., there were different
computers for different tasks).

The third generation of computers was the first step toward downsizing, and it
swiftly extended their capabilities: control, scientific experiment automation,
data transfer, and so on. It is also utilized in the production of radios,
televisions, and other similar products.
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.

4th Generation of Computer (1971-2010)
The microprocessor ushered in the fourth generation of computers, when
thousands of integrated circuits, equivalent to millions of transistors, were
combined into a tiny chip termed a microprocessor, which included the whole
central processing unit and other key parts of the machine. VLSI (Very Large
Scale Integrated Circuits) technology was employed in these computers. The
microprocessor was first employed in computing equipment in the fourth and
fifth generations after its creation.The first microprocessor debuted in the
context of the considered generation in 1971, as an unanticipated
consequence of Intel's work on calculator circuits and minicomputer
development ( PDP-11 ).

In 1974, the firm MITS created "ALTAIR," the first personal computer and
microcomputer. The Intel 4004, which was originally designed for an
electronic calculator and released in 1971, was also the first microprocessor.
Whereas the first-generation computers took up a whole room, the fourth-
generation ‘microprocessors' now fit in the palm of your hand.This generation
of computers featured a graphical user interface (GUI)-based operating
system, making it relatively simple to do mathematical and logical operations.

High-speed memory systems using integrated circuits with capacities of


several megabytes began to be used in computers. The speed of a computer
has considerably improved (hundreds of millions of operations per second).

In the fourth generation of computers, high-level languages such as C, C++,


Java, PHP, Python, and Visual Basic were used to write programs.
When the first personal computers were introduced in the mid-1970s, they
offered every ordinary user access to the same computing power that huge
computers had in the 1960s. These computers were designed to be more
compact, quicker, and less costly, and they can easily be placed on a table or
desk. This was the start of the so-called personal computer era.During the
fourth generation, peripheral devices like as mice, joysticks, portable devices,
and so on were created. Computers could be joined in a network to share
information, which was crucial in the development of LAN, Ethernet, and the
Internet.

Intel and AMD, two of the most well-known firms in the world, were on the
rise. Companies like Microsoft and Apple, on the other hand, debuted their
operating systems ‘Windows' and ‘Macintosh' in this generation of computers.
As a result, the act of multimedia began.Personal computers were invented
during this time period, and the concept still exists today. These were also the
DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) minicomputers' generation.
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 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.

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 fifth computer generation is adaptable, powerful, lightweight,
inventive, pleasant, and uses little electricity. Because of the benefits of the
Internet, it has expanded its boundaries of usage to levels never imagined
before. Even in 2021, the major goal of the newest fifth-generation computers
and the effort made by computer experts to make them smart by adding
Artificial Intelligence is to build gadgets that respond to natural language input
and are capable of learning and self-organizing. This new information
technology has greatly increased the size and working ability of the
microprocessor, resulting in the widespread use of computers in fields such as
entertainment, accounting, educational institutions, filmmaking, traffic control,
business applications, and hospitals, as well as engineering, research, and
defense.That is why the 5th generation of computers is also known as the AI
(Artificial Intelligence) generation.Some computers are designed to perform all
of the tasks that a human would perform, such as act, behave, and
communicate. The finest illustration of this is the “Sophia” robot, which is an
Artificial Intelligence (AI) based computing machine in the 5th generation of
computers.
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.
 Multimedia has evolved in this generation by combining Sound, Graphics, or Picture
and Text.
 Development of Internet of Things.

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