Lesson 2

Evolution of Computers
Computer Era
 Mechanical Era – Before 1954
 Electronic Era
 First Generation
 Second Generation
 Third Generation
 Fourth Generation
Abacus
 The first computing machine. It consists of
parallel columns of beads strung on wires or
rods that is crossed by a wooden bar.
 Features:
 It supports floating point
 The first machine to use positional notation
 It is based on the decimal number system
Abacus
Napier’s “logs”
 Invented by John Napier, a Scottish
mathematician who became famous for his
invention of logarithms. It consist of a set of
sticks with numbers printed.
 Features:
 It could perform multiplication and division
Napier’s “logs”
Pascal’s “arithmetic engine”
 The first mechanical calculator that could
add, and subtract up to eight digits.
 Features
 Approximately the size of a cigar box
 It has a mechanical gear system
Pascal’s “arithmetic engine”
Leibniz “stepped reckoner”
 A mechanical calculator that could multiply
and divide directly, as well as extract square
roots. It was designed by Gottfried Wilhelm
von Leibniz.
Leibniz “stepped reckoner”
Jacquard’s Loom
 The first programmable mechanical device
that used punch card for storing information
and controlling the machine. Invented by
Joseph Marie Jacquard.
Jacquard’s Loom
Babbage Engines
 Difference Engine. It is designed to compute
mathematical tables.
 Analytical Engine. It incorporated the ideas
of a memory and input/output for data and
instructions.
Analytical Engine
Difference Engine
Lady Ada August
Lovelace, (Countess
of Lovelace) - worked
with Babbage and
created a program for
the Analytical Engine.
Ada is now credited
as being the 1st
computer
programmer.
Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine
 The first commercial mechanical computer
used by US Census Bureau to tabulate data
for 1890 census.
 It was invented by Herman Hollerith
 Features:
 It could add, classify and sort
 It uses electricity to power the tabulator
 In 1911 Hollerith's company merged with a
competitor to found the corporation which in
1924 became International Business
Machines (IBM).
Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine
Early Developments in Electronic
Data Processing
 The Mark I.
 It was built by Howard Aiken from 1939 to
1944
 The largest electromechanical computer ever
built
 50 ft long and 8ft high
 700, 000 moving parts
 Several hundred miles of wirings
Early Developments in Electronic
Data Processing
 ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator
and Calculator)
 It was created by John Mauchly and J.
Presper Eckert
 It has 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors and
7,000 switches
 It weighed 30 tons
 Occupied 15,000 sq. ft.
ENIAC
Early Developments in
Electronic Data Processing
 EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer)
 Proposed modified version of ENIAC
 It employs binary arithmetic
 Based on stored-program concept
First Generation: (1951 – 1958)
 The first generation of computers is
characterized by using vacuum tubes as
electronic switches.
 Vacuum tube, electronic tube about the size of
light bulbs
 Disadvantages:
 They generate more hear

 Tubes burn out easily

 UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer)

 The first commercial computer.
 Developed by J. Presper Eckert and John
Mauchly
First Generation: (1951 – 1958)
 Programmed in machine language
 Often programmed by physical
connection (hardwiring)
 Slow, unreliable, expensive
Vacuum Tubes
Second Generation: 1959 – 1964
 Transistors characterized the second
generation of computers
 Transistor, is a three-legged component
which occupied only 1/100th of the space
occupied by the vacuum tube
 Advantages:
 More reliable, greater computational speed
and consumed less electricity
Second Generation: 1959 – 1964
 Magnetic core memory introduced
 Because these units were smaller, they
were closer together providing a
speedup over vacuum tubes
 Various programming languages
introduced (assembly, high-level)
 Rudimentary OS developed
 The first supercomputer was
introduced, CDC 6600 ($10 million)
 Other noteworthy computers were the
IBM 7094 and DEC PDP-1
mainframes
An array of magnetic core
memory – very
expensive – $1 million for 1
Mbyte!
Transistors
Second Generation Computer

DEC PDP-1
Third Generation: 1965 – 1970
 The third generation of computers used integrated circuit
or IC.
 IC, a square silicon chip containing circuitry that can
perform the functions of hundred transistors.
 Advantages:
 Reliability, it will not break down easily

 Low cost, relatively cheap and consumes less

electricity
 Computer families introduced
 Minicomputers introduced
 More sophisticated programming languages and OS
developed
 Popular computers included PDP-8, PDP-11, IBM 360
and Cray produced their first supercomputer, Cray-1
Integrated Circuits
Integrated Circuits
Third Generation Computer

PDP-8
Fourth Generation
 Marked by the use of microprocessors
 Microprocessor, is a silicon chip that
contains the CPU
 Miniaturization took over
 From SSI (10-100 components per chip) to
 MSI (100-1000), LSI (1,000-10,000), VLSI
(10,000+)
 4004 chip, the first microprocessor
developed by Intel
Fourth Generation Computers
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

A. Purpose
1. General-purpose computers
2. Special-purpose computers.

B. Type of Data Handled

A. Analog Computer
B. Digital Computer
C. Hybrid Computer
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

C. Size and Speed

1. Microcomputer
2. Minicomputer
3. Mainframe
4. Supercomputer
 CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
ACCDG. TO PURPOSE
1. General-purpose computers. A computer
designed to perform, or that is capable of
performing, in a reasonably efficient manner, the
functions required by both scientific and business
applications.

2. Special-purpose computers. A computer that is

designed to operate on a restricted class of
problems.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
ACCDG. TO DATA TYPE HANDLED
1. Analog Computers. It uses electronic
or mechanical phenomena to model the
problem being solved by using one kind
of physical quantity to represent
another. It provides an analogy or
simulation of the object or system it
represents. Example: Speedometer
 CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
ACCDG. TO DATA TYPE HANDLED
1. Digital Computers. It operates by counting
values that are discrete or separate and distinct
. The numbers operated on by a digital
computer are expressed in the binary system ;
binary digits, or bits, are 0 and 1.
2. Hybrid Computers. Incorporate in a single
device both digital and analog techniques. A
simple example is the computer used in
hospitals to measure the heart beat of the
patient.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
ACCDG. TO SIZE AND SPEED
1. Supercomputers. The fastest, expensive and
most powerful type of computer. It is employed
for specialized applications that require
immense amount of mathematical calculations.
It is commonly used in nuclear weapon
development, weather forecasting, breaking
codes.
2. Mainframe. Large and expensive computer that
is capable of passing data simultaneously to
many users. Used by governments and large
corporations to provide centralized storage.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
ACCDG. TO SIZE AND SPEED
3. Minicomputer. Handle tasks that large
computer cannot perform economically.
4. Microcomputers. Low cost, flexible & ideal
for applications in which it can handle small
amount of data.
Categories of Microcomputers
 Desktop (Personal) Computers.
 Designed so the system unit, input, output,
and any other devices fit entirely on or under a
desk or table.
 Mobile Computers
 It is a personal computer you can carry from
place to place.
 Laptop
 Notebook
 Netbook
 Tablet
Categories of Microcomputers
 Mobile Devices
 Personal Digital Assistant
 Provides personal organizer functions.
 Handheld computers
 Smartphones
 Game Console
 A mobile computing device designed for single
player or multiplayer video games.
COMPUTERS TODAY

PERSONAL COMPUTER

LAPTOP COMPUTER
NOTEBOOK COMPUTER
Trends in Computer Technology
 Reduction in size.
 Reduction in cost.
 Increased speed and storage.