Background
Tablet pc’s or laptops are the most familiar words now days than a word computer. The computers which we see in shops in form of laptops, desktops, tablets etc are the fastest version of the calculation machines. Yes, computer is a revolution of a simple calculator. The idea behind the invention of a computer was to make a simple calculator which will help humans in carrying out day to day activities. Of course it’s not an overnight change; calculation machine had been through many revolutionary changes. The changes took over a long period of time in terms of technology & functionality aspects. Changes include the operating ways, reduced size, more powerful and more efficient, robust & reliable, portable devices.
First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes
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On the initial stage, computers were developed using vacuum tubes. These vacuum tubes were used as circuitry and magnetic drums to store data. The size of these computers was so huge that they couldn’t fit in a single room! Of course, use of vacuum tube use to create lots of errors, expensive to develop, much more electricity consumption & lots of heat production. The language used to instruct these machine was called as Machine Language i.e. low level programming language. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
For example, The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers were first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors
Transistors were introduced and proven their benefits over Vacuum tubes. Second generation computers started using Transistor instead of Vacuum tubes. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor were better than vacuum tube, mainly in term of reduced computers size, increased processing speed, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor emits lots of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
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Second-generation computers introduced symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.
Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits
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Integrated Circuit (IC) was the main change in third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of using punched cards or printouts, users started using computers through keyboards and monitors. The interaction took place with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors
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Invention of Microprocessor brought a big revolution to the computer generation. Microprocessor was integration of thousands of integrated circuits was built onto a single silicon chip. This made computer to fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence
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Fifth generation computers are based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, gesture recognition that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
Tablet pc’s or laptops are the most familiar words now days than a word computer. The computers which we see in shops in form of laptops, desktops, tablets etc are the fastest version of the calculation machines. Yes, computer is a revolution of a simple calculator. The idea behind the invention of a computer was to make a simple calculator which will help humans in carrying out day to day activities. Of course it’s not an overnight change; calculation machine had been through many revolutionary changes. The changes took over a long period of time in terms of technology & functionality aspects. Changes include the operating ways, reduced size, more powerful and more efficient, robust & reliable, portable devices.
First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes
On the initial stage, computers were developed using vacuum tubes. These vacuum tubes were used as circuitry and magnetic drums to store data. The size of these computers was so huge that they couldn’t fit in a single room! Of course, use of vacuum tube use to create lots of errors, expensive to develop, much more electricity consumption & lots of heat production. The language used to instruct these machine was called as Machine Language i.e. low level programming language. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
For example, The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers were first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors
Transistors were introduced and proven their benefits over Vacuum tubes. Second generation computers started using Transistor instead of Vacuum tubes. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor were better than vacuum tube, mainly in term of reduced computers size, increased processing speed, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor emits lots of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers introduced symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.
Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits
Integrated Circuit (IC) was the main change in third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of using punched cards or printouts, users started using computers through keyboards and monitors. The interaction took place with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors
Invention of Microprocessor brought a big revolution to the computer generation. Microprocessor was integration of thousands of integrated circuits was built onto a single silicon chip. This made computer to fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence
Fifth generation computers are based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, gesture recognition that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
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