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Computer Assigment About Generation of Computer

The document summarizes the five generations of computers from the 1940s to present. The first generation used vacuum tubes and were very large, expensive, and generated a lot of heat. The second generation used transistors which were smaller, cheaper, and more reliable. The third generation used integrated circuits which made computers even smaller and more efficient. The fourth generation used microprocessors and VLSI circuits, leading to the development of personal computers. The fifth generation uses ULSI technology and focuses on artificial intelligence and parallel processing.

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عرنان علی سید
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545 views

Computer Assigment About Generation of Computer

The document summarizes the five generations of computers from the 1940s to present. The first generation used vacuum tubes and were very large, expensive, and generated a lot of heat. The second generation used transistors which were smaller, cheaper, and more reliable. The third generation used integrated circuits which made computers even smaller and more efficient. The fourth generation used microprocessors and VLSI circuits, leading to the development of personal computers. The fifth generation uses ULSI technology and focuses on artificial intelligence and parallel processing.

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عرنان علی سید
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© © All Rights Reserved
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GENERATION OF COMPUTER

Name: Adnan Ali Syed


Roll no: 211515
Department: Mathematics
Semester: First
Assignment: First
Subject: Computer Science
Teacher: Sajjid Iqbal
| Adnan Ali Syed
Generations of Computers
The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of
computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development
that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper,
more powerful, more efficient and reliable devices.

Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a computer is/was being used.


Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies.
Nowadays, generation includes both hardware and software, which together make up an entire
computer system. There are five computer generations known till date. Each generation has
been discussed in detail along with their time period and characteristics. In the following table,
approximate dates against each generation has been mentioned, which are normally accepted.
Following are the main five generations of computers.

S.No Generation and Description


1. First Generation The period of first generation: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.
2. Second Generation The period of second generation: 1959-1965. Transistor based.
3. Third Generation The period of third generation: 1965-1971. Integrated Circuit based.

4. Fourth Generation The period of fourth generation: 1971-1980. VLSI microprocessor based
5. Fifth Generation The period of fifth generation: 1980-onwards. ULSI microprocessor based.
First Generation 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.

Main features of first generation:


• Vacuum tube technology
• Unreliable
• Supported machine language only
• Very costly
• Generates lot of heat
• Slow input and output devices
• Huge size
• Need of AC
• Non-portable
• Consumes lot of electricity
Some computers of this
generation were:
• ENIAC
• EDVAC
• UNIVAC
• IBM-701
• IBM-750

Second Generation Computers:


The period of second generation was from 1959-1965.
In this generation, transistors were
used that were cheaper, consumed
less power, more compact in size,
more reliable and faster than the
first-generation machines made of
vacuum tubes. In this generation,
magnetic cores were used as the
primary memory and magnetic tape
and magnetic disks as secondary
storage devices. In this generation,
assembly language and high-level
programming languages like
FORTRAN, COBOL were used. The
computers used batch processing
and multiprogramming operating system.

s.no Main features of second generation Names of second generation computers

1. Use of transistors IBM 1620


2. Reliable in comparison to first IBM 7094
generation computers
3. Smaller size as compared to first CDC 1604
generation computers
4. Generates less heat as compared to first CDC 3600
generation computers
5. Consumed less electricity as compared UNIVAC 1108
to first generation computers
6. Faster than first generation computers
7. Still very costly
8. AC required
9. Supported machine and assembly
languages

Third Generation Computers:


The period of third generation was from 1965-1971.

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. This development made computers smaller in size, reliable, and efficient.
In this generation remote processing, time-sharing, multi-programming operating system were
used. High-level languages (FORTRAN-II TO IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, BASIC, ALGOL-68 etc.)
were used during this generation.

s.no Main features of third generation Some computers of this generation


i. IC used IBM-360 series
ii. More reliable in comparison to previous Honeywell-6000 series
two generations
iii. Smaller size PDP (Personal Data Processor)
iv. Generated less heat IBM-370/168
v. Faster TDC-316
vi. Lesser maintenance
vii. Costly
viii. AC required
ix. Consumed lesser electricity
x. Supported high-level language

Fourth Generation Computers:


The period of fourth generation was from 1971-1980.

Computers of fourth generation used Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits. VLSI circuits
having about 5000 transistors and other circuit elements with their associated circuits on a
single chip made it possible to have microcomputers of fourth generation. Fourth generation
computers became more powerful, compact, reliable, and affordable. As a result, it gave rise to
Personal Computer (PC) revolution. In this generation, time sharing, real time networks,
distributed operating system were used. All the high-level languages like C, C++, DBASE etc.,
were used in this generation.
Main features of fourth generation:
VLSI technology used
Very cheap
Portable and reliable
Use of PCs
Very small size
Pipeline processing
No AC required
Concept of internet was introduced
Great developments in the fields of networks
Computers became easily available
Some computers of this generation were:
• DEC 10
• STAR 1000
• PDP 11
• CRAY-1(Super Computer)
• CRAY-X-MP(Super Computer)

Fifth Generation Computers:


The period of fifth generation is 1980-till date.

In the fifth generation, VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration)
technology, resulting in the production of microprocessor chips having ten million electronic
components. This generation is based on parallel processing hardware and AI (Artificial
Intelligence) software. AI is an emerging
branch in computer science, which interprets
the means and method of making computers
think like human beings. All the high-level
languages like C and C++, Java, .Net etc.,
are used in this generation.
Main features of fifth generation:
• ULSI technology
• Development of true artificial intelligence
• Development of Natural language
processing
• Advancement in Parallel Processing
• Advancement in Superconductor
technology
• More user-friendly interfaces with multimedia features
• Availability of very powerful and compact computers at cheaper rates
Some computer types of this generation are:
• Desktop
• Laptop
• Notebook
• Ultrabook
• Chromebook

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