Dhruv

History of computers
 what is a computers ?

manipulates information, or data. It has the

ability to store, retrieve, and process data.
You may already know that you can use a
computer to type documents, send
email, play games, and browse the Web. You
can also use it to edit or
create spreadsheets, presentations, and
even videos.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
 1st generation of computers
• The period of first generation was from 1946-1959. The
computers of first generation used vacuum tubes as the
basic components for memory and circuitry for CPU
(Central Processing Unit). These tubes, like electric bulbs,
produced a lot of heat and the installations used to fuse
frequently. Therefore, they were very expensive and only
large organizations were able to afford it.
• In this generation, mainly batch processing operating
system was used. Punch cards, paper tape, and magnetic
tape was used as input and output devices. The computers
in this generation used machine code as the programming
language.
 2nd generation of computer

• The second generation computers were used

during 1957-1963. They are also known as
transistor computers. The second generation
of computers consists of two types of
devices, transistors, and magnetic core. The
transistors helped to develop a better
computer than the first generation
computers consisting of vacuum tubes.
Some second generation of computers are
IBM 1920, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, CDC 3600, IBM
1401, etc.
 Comparing of 1st and 2nd generation computer

First Generation Computers Second Generation Computers

First generation computers use vacuum tubes. Second generation computers use transistors.

The size of first generation computers is huge. The size of second generation computers is small.

It uses more power and produces more heat. It uses less power and produces less heat.

Its speed is slow. Its speed is high.

Second generation computers use assembly

First generation computers use machine language
language.

In first generation computers, the main memory is in In second generation computers, the main memory is
the form of magnetic drums. in the form of RAM and ROM.
 3rd generation of computer
• Third generation computers are advance from first and second generation computers. The third generation computer was
started in 1965 and ended around 1971. Third generation computers start using integrated circuits instead of transistors. The
integrated circuit (IC) is a semiconductor material, that contains thousands of transistors miniaturized in it. With the help of
IC, the computer becomes more reliable, fast, required less maintenance, small in size, generates less heat, and is less
expensive. It was developed by Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor and Jack Kilby (American electrical engineer) of
Texas Instruments in 1958. So due to ICs, the third generation computers are much faster, efficient, reliable, less
maintenance, and small in size as compared to first and second generation computers. Third generation computer uses less
electricity but still, they are little expensive and also use the air conditioner for cooling.
 4th generation of computer
• Fourth Generation of computers was between 1971 – 1980.
These computers used the VLSI technology or the Very Large
Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits technology. Therefore they
were also known as the microprocessors. Intel was the first
company to develop a microprocessor. The first “personal
computer” or PC developed by IBM, belonged to this
generation. VLSI circuits had almost about 5000 transistors on
a very small chip and were capable of performing many high-
level tasks and computations. These computers were thus very
compact and thereby required a small amount of electricity to
run.
• Examples are STAR 1000, CRAY-X-MP(Super Computer),
DEC 10, PDP 11, CRAY-1. This generation of computers had
the first “supercomputers” that could perform many
calculations accurately. They were also used in networking and
also used higher and more complicated languages as their
inputs. The computer languages like languages like C, C+, C+
+, DBASE etc. were the input for these computers.
 Difference between Third and Fourth
Generation
Difference between Third and Fourth Generation

Third Generation Fourth Generation

They used very large scale

1 They used integrated circuit (I.C)
integration (VLSI) and
. and large scale integration (LSI).
microprocessor.

2 They were smaller in size and They were small in size and
. called as mini computer. called as micro computer.

3 They could perform calculation They could perform millions of

. in nano seconds. calculations per second.

4 Main memory was increased in Main memory was increased in

. the form of PROM and DRAM. the form of EPROM and SRAM.
 5th generation of computer

This is the present generation of computers and is the most

advanced one. The generation began somewhere around 1981
and is the present generation of computers. The methods of
input include the modern high-level languages like Python, R,
C#, Java etc. These are extremely reliable and employ the
ULSI or the Ultra Large Scale Integration technology. These
computers are at the frontiers of the modern scientific
calculations and are used to develop the Artificial Intelligence
or AI components that will have the ability to think for
themselves.