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Muhammad Hamza

The document discusses the five generations of computers. The first generation used vacuum tubes and was from 1946-1959. The second generation used transistors from 1959-1965. The third generation used integrated circuits from 1965-1971. The fourth generation used very large scale integrated circuits and microprocessors from 1971-1980. The fifth generation began in 1980 and uses ultra-large scale integration, parallel processing, and artificial intelligence.

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53 views

Muhammad Hamza

The document discusses the five generations of computers. The first generation used vacuum tubes and was from 1946-1959. The second generation used transistors from 1959-1965. The third generation used integrated circuits from 1965-1971. The fourth generation used very large scale integrated circuits and microprocessors from 1971-1980. The fifth generation began in 1980 and uses ultra-large scale integration, parallel processing, and artificial intelligence.

Uploaded by

pxking6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STUDENT NAME MUHAMMAD HAMZA

STUDENT ID; 15002021


ASSIGNMENT OF COMPUTER GENERATION
SUBMITTED TO SIR UMAIR

COLLEGE COTHM
Computer - Generations

Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a computer


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 have been
mentioned, which are normally accepted.

Following are the main five generations of computers.

Generation & Description


First Generation
1 The period of first generation: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.

Second Generation
2 The period of second generation: 1959-1965. Transistor based.

Third Generation
The period of third generation: 1965-1971. Integrated Circuit
3
based.

Fourth Generation
The period of fourth generation: 1971-1980. VLSI
4
microprocessor based.

Fifth Generation
The period of fifth generation: 1980-onwards. ULSI
5
microprocessor based.
Computer - First Generation

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.

The main features of first generation are.

 Slow input and output devices


 Huge size
 Need of AC
 Non-portable
 Vacuum tube technology
 Unreliable
Computer - Second Generation

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.

The main features of second generation are

 Use of transistors
 Reliable in comparison to first generation computers
 Smaller size as compared to first generation computers
 Generated less heat as compared to first generation computers
 Faster than first generation computers
 Still very costly
 AC required
 Supported machine and assembly languages
Computer - Third Generation

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, multiprogramming operating system were used. High-level
languages (FORTRAN-II TO IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, BASIC, ALGOL-68
etc.) were used during this generation.

The main features of third generation are

 IC used
 More reliable in comparison to previous two generations
 Smaller size
 Generated less heat
 Faster
 Lesser maintenance
 Costly
 AC required
Computer - Fourth Generation

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.

The main features of fourth generation are

 VLSI technology used


 Very cheap
 Portable and reliable
 Use of PCs
 Very small size
 Pipeline processing
 No AC required
 Concept of internet was introduced
Computer - Fifth Generation
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.

The main features of fifth generation are

 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

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