FIRST GENERATION : VACUUM TUBES (1940 - 1956)
SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY - The instructions were written in machine language Machine language use Os and Is for coding of the instructions.
the first generation computers could solve one problem at a time.
COMPUTING CHARACTERISTICS - the computation was in the milliseconds.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE - these computers were enormous and required a large room for installation.
APPLICATION - They were used for scientific applications as they were the fastest computing device of their time.
Examples . Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC)
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC)
Electronic Discrete variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC)
The first generation computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drum a for memory. the input to the computer was through punched cards and paper tapes the output was displayed as printout.
SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY - the instructions were written using the assembly language.
COMPUTING CHARACTERISTICS - The Computation time was in microseconds.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE - Transistors are smaller in size compared to vacuum tubes, thus, the size of the computers was also reduced.
APPLICATION - the cost of commercial production f these computers was very high, though less than the first generation computers. The transistors had to be assembled manually is second generation computers.
examples. PDP - 8 , 1b,1401, CDC 1604
the second generation computers used magnetic core technology for primary memory. they used magnetic tapes and magnetic disks for secondary Storage. The input was still through punch cards and the output using printouts. They used the concept if a stored program, where instructions were stored in the memory of computer.
THIRD GENERATION - INTEGRATED CIRCUITS ( 1964 - 1971 )
Software Technology, the keyboard and the monitor were interfaced through the operating system. Operating System allowed different application to run at the same time. High - level languages were used extensively for programming, instead of machine language and assembly language.
COMPUTING CHARACTERISTICS - The computation time was in nanoseconds.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE - The size of these computers was quite small compared to Second generation computers.
APPLICATION COMPUTERS - Became accessible to mass audience. Computers were produces commercially and were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
Examples : IBM 370, PDP II
In an IC chip, multiple transistors are placed on a silicon chip. Silicon is a type of semiconductor. The use of IC chip increased the speed and the efficiency of computer, manifold, The keyboard and monitor were used to interact with the third generation computer, instead of the punched cards and printouts.
FOURTH GENERATION MICROPROCESSORS (1971 - PRESENT)
SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY - Several new Operating System like the MS - DOS and MS -
WINDOWS Develop during this time. Third Generation of computers
supported graphical user interface. GUI is a user - Friendly interface that
allows user to to interact with the computer via minus and icons. High
level programming languages are used for the writing of the programs. -
COMPUTING CHARACTERISTICS - The computations time is in microseconds.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE - They are smaller than the previous computers and some can fit it the Palm.
APPLICATION - .They became widely available for commercial purposes, personal computers became available to home user.
FIFTH GENERATION
Artificial intelligence the goal of fifth generation computing is to developed computers that are capable of learning and self organization. The fifth generation computers use SLSI CHIPS that are able to store millions of components on a single chip. These computers have large memory requirements. These generation of computers have large memory requirements.Then use parallel Processing that results to faster processing speed. The fifth generation computers are based on artificial intelligence they try to simulate the human way of thinking and reasoning. Artificial intelligence includes areas like expert system, natural language processing, speech recognition, voice recognition, robotics.
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