5- GENERATION OF COMPUTER

 

The history of computer has been divided into 5 parts. The fundamental principle of each computer generation and a part of it develops in a new form, a new generation begins. The main fundamental principle are given below:

1. Increase in speed of works.
   
2. Shrink in size.
3. be cheaper.
4. Easiness.
5. Increase in storage capacity.
6. Increase in new applications.

Changes in the above fundamental principles, whether it is software or hardware, have also seen a change in the use and design of computers. Keeping all these changes in mind, the generation of computer has been told along with its duration given below:

 

1. First generation of computer (1946 - 1955)
2. Second generation of computer (1956 - 1964)
3. Third generation of computer (1965- 1970)
4. Fourth generation of computer (1971 - 1990)
5. Fifth generation of computer (1991 - till date)

First generation of Computer (1946 - 1955):

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. 

 

The main features of first generation computer are:

• It was installed in a room.
• The vacuum tube technology was used in this period's computer. 
• Its weight was 30 to 50 tons.
• It was very expensive.
• Air condition was required to keep it cool.
• It was based on the principle of Punch Card.
• Magnetic tape and paper tape were used as internal memory.
• In this generation, computers were used Assembly and Machine language.
• The first generation computer required 140-150 Kilo Watts of Electric power.
  

Some computer of first generation were ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator), EDVAC (Electronic Descrete Variable Automatic Computer), UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer), IBM-701, IBM-705 etc.

Second generation of Computer (1956 - 1964):

The three individual credited with the invention of Transistor were William Shockley, John Bardeen, Walter Britain (December 23, 1947)  at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. From their creation they replaced the vacuum tubes in the first generation computers. The transistor was more advanced than the vacuum tubes as a result it allowed for second generation computers to be smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy efficient and more reliable than the first generation computers.

 

The main features of second generation computer are:

• Use of Transistors.
  
  
  
• Reliable in comparison to first generation computers.
• Smaller size as compared to first generation computers.
• Generates less heat as compared to first generation computers.
• Consumed less electricity as compared to first generation computers.
• Faster than first generation computers.
• It was also costly.
• AC required.
• Supported Assembly and Machine language.

 

Some computers of second generation were IBM-1620, IBM-7094, CDC-1604, CDC-3600, UNIVAC-1108 etc.

 

Third generation of Computer (1965 - 1970):

The computers of third generation used Integrated Circuits (ICs) in place of transistors. A single IC has many transistors, resistors, and capacitors along with the associated circuitry. The IC was invented by Jack Kilby in 1958. 

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

 

Many programming languages like COBOL, PASCAL, PL/1, FORTRAN-2 to 5, and ALGOL-68 were also used in the 3rd generation computers.

 

The main features of third generation are:

• Use of IC (Integrated Circuit).
  
  
  
• The trend of the computer series are began from this generation.
• With the creation of Operating System program, all the internal works of the computer was automated.
• BASIC language development in High Level Languages which was easy to learn and work.
• Due to small in size, it was named Minicomputer.
• The AC was still in need.
• Consumed lesser electricity than Second generation.
• More reliable in comparison to two previous generations.
• The development and use of Word Processing began in the third generation.
• The speed of computer work increased.
• It is cheaper than previous generations. 

Some computer of third generation are IBM-360 series, Honeywell-6000 series, PDP, IBM-370/168, TDC-316, ICL-2900 etc.

Fourth generation of Computer (1971 - 1990):

Computers of fourth generation used Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits. VLSI circuits having about 100000 transistors and other circuit elements with their associated circuits on a single chip made it possible to have microcomputers of fourth generation.

 

Marcian “Ted” Hoff is best known as the architect of the first microprocessor 'The Intel 4004'. Released in November 1971, the 'Intel 4004 ' sparked the microprocessor revolution that came to define Silicon Valley. The Intel chip housed thousands of integrated circuits. The year 1981 saw the first ever computer (IBM-PC) specifically designed for home use. Microsoft Corporation was founded by Bill Gates, built operating system like DOS, WINDOWS and today we use it. 

All the high-level languages like C, C+, C++,Java, dBASE etc., were used in this generation.

The main features of fourth generation are:

• VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) technology are used in this generation.
  
  
  
• Very cheap than previous generations.
  
• Portable and reliable.
• People started to know by the name of Personal Computer (PC).
• Pipeline processing.
• Semiconductor began to be used as internal memory.
• Design support systems involved in this generation.
• Spreadsheets, Applications, Database works, software developed in this generation.

Some computer of this generation are DEC-10, STAR-1000, PDP-11, CRAY-1, CRAY-X-MP etc. 

Fifth generation of Computer (1991-to till date):

The fifth generation of computers is currently running. In the fifth generation, VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology. The ULSI having about ten million of electronic components. The computer size reduced in portable and took it on a table. This generation is based on parallel processing hardware and AI (Artificial Intelligence) software.Through the AI (Artificial Intelligence), the computer think like human beings and act it.

 

The network started being used by computers of this period. Through the internet, the data exchange was possible by any computer in the world. 

The main features of fifth generation are:

• Use of ULSI technology.
• Development of true artificial intelligence.
• Development of natural language processing.
• The size of computer was changed to Desktop, Laptop, Palmtop and IPad.
• Internet was used in this generation.
• Advancement in parallel processing.
• Advancement in Semiconductor Technology.
• Multimedia began to be used as a combination of sound, visual and picture.
• Availability in cheaper rates.
• More user-friendly interfaces.

Some computers of this generation are Desktop, Laptop, Palmtop, Notebook, Ultra-book, Chromebook etc. 

 

 

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