Best Notes on Computer Generation 1st to 5th

The history of the development of computers is often referred to in tracing the different Computer generations. 5 generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computer’s operated resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and efficient, and reliable devices.

Best Computer Notes

Generation of Computer Notes

The history of the Computer Generation contains the First Generation of Computers, the Second generation of computers, the third generation of computer, the fourth generation of computer and the current fifth generation of computer.

First Generation of computer (1942-1955)

The first generation computers were entirely electronic. They used vacuum tubes to store instructions. Magnetic drums were used for memory. They were often enormous, taking up the entire room. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat which often needed expensive air-conditioning. First-generation computers relied on machine language (1s and 0s), the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could solve only one problem at a time.

The UNIVAC 1, ENIAC, and Mark 1 computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial electronic computer. This machine was developed especially for scientific and military purposes but it was dedicated to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Second Generation of computer (1955-1964)

In the second generation of computers, solid-state transistors replaced vacuum tubes in computers. It was invented in Bell Laboratories.

The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable. To represent data a magnetic core is used in computers. At about the same time magnetic tape and disks began to be widely used as auxiliary storage. The magnetic disk was layered with iron oxide. Magnetic disks made possible direct access to data.

As a result of these developments, a significant increase in the speed and processing capability of computers was achieved. Businessmen began to use computers in increasing numbers and new high-level programming languages also developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN.

Third Generation of computer (1965-1974)

Further development in electronics brought a further reduction in size, greater reliability, speed, and lower costs for computers. Integrated Circuits (IC) replaced the transistors, which were developed by J.S. Kilbi. This was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.

This development is known as LSI (Large Scale Integration) and it refers to the ability to compress a large number of integrated circuits on a single silicon chip. There is also VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration).

Another development that changed the way people use computers was time-sharing. A time-shared computer allows many users, each working at a separate input/ output terminal, to use it at the same time.

Users interacted with third-generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to mass users because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors. Users could use the software according to their needs because Software and hardware were available separately.

Fourth Generation of computer (1975- Up till now)

Fourth Generation computers continued to be characterized by chips that can contain increasing numbers of items. This further miniaturization of components, referred to as ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration), resulted in increased speed, greater reliability, and enormous storage capacities for current computers.

By using LSI technology, a microprocessor was introduced. This microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. The computer of the first generation that filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer from the CPU 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. Everyday products such as vehicles, microwave ovens and electronic games, etc. began to use microprocessors more and more.

As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form a network, 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 of computer (Present and Beyond)

Unlike all other generations of computers, the present generation of computers is characterized by the use of the technique used to reduce complex programming. This technique is known as Artificial Intelligence (Al). Fifth-generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition that are being used today.

List of Computer Generation Chart

Generations	Characteristics
First Generation	1. Use of vacuum tubes in circuits. 2. Use of magnetic drums as the primary internal storage medium. 3. Limited main storage capacity. 4. Slow input/ output. 5. Low-level symbolic language programming. 6. Heat and maintenance problems. Applications: Payroll processing and record-keeping. Example: ENIAC, IBM 650, UNIVAC 1
Second Generation	1. Use of transistors in the place of vacuum tubes. 2. Use of magnetic core as the primary internal storage medium. 3. Increased main storage capacity. 4. Faster input/ output. 5. Great reduction in size and heat generation. 6. Increased speed and reliability. 7. High-level programming language (COBOL and FORTRAN). Applications: Batch-oriented (Billing, Payroll processing, and Updating inventory files). Example: IBM 1401, Honeywell 200, CDC 1604.
Third Generation	1. Use of IC (Integrated Circuit). 2. Use of magnetic core as the primary storage medium. 3. More flexible input/ output. 4. Smaller size, better performance, and reliability. 5. Increased speed and better performance. 6. Extensive use of high-level programming languages. 7. Emergence of minicomputers. Remote processing and time-sharing through communication. 8. Availability of operating system software to control input/ output. Applications: Airline reservation system, market forecasting, and credit card billing. Example: IBM System /360, NCR 395, Burroughs B6500.
Fourth Generation	1. Use of large-scale integrated circuits. 2. Increased storage capacity and speed. 3. Modular design and compatibility between hardware provided by different manufacturers. 4. Greater versatility of input/ output devices. 5. Introduction of microprocessors and microcomputers. 6. Increased use of microcomputers. Applications: Electronic fund transfer, computer-aided instruction, home computers and mathematical modelling and simulation. Examples: IBM PC-XT (microcomputer), Apple II, Honeywell 6080 series.

Computer Generation 1st to 5th | Generation of Computer 1st to 5th

Generation	Switching Device	Storage Device	Speed	Operating System	Language
First 1940-56	Vacuum Tubes	Magnetic Drum	333ms	Batch OS	Machine Language
Second 1956-63	Transistors	Magnetic core	10ms	Time Sharing OS	Assembly Language
Third 1964-71	Integrated Circuits	magnetic core (Primary Storage)	100ns	Real-Time OS	High Level language
Fourth 1971-present	Large Scale Integrated Circuit Microprocessor	Semiconductor (Winchester Disk)	10ps	Time Sharing Network GUI interface	PASCAL COBOL FORTRAN
Fifth Present & Beyond	Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI) Chips	–	–	–	–

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