Generation of Computer

                                                         by sumit kumar

What is generation of Computer - History , 1st , 2nd , 3rd , 4th and 5th 

Computer are divided in these forms of  generation. Here the generation have been described time wise as well as technologies used. 

Generation  of computer

Introduction

Computer are divided in these forms of  generation. Here the generation have been described time wise as well as technologies used.

First generation computer (1942-1955) 13 years

First generation computers are mainframe.

The early computer & other of there time were manufacturing using vacuum tubes as electronic switching device. A vacuum tube was fragile glass divice using filaments as a source of electronics put control and amplify the signal. If was the only high speed electronic switching device available in those days the vacuum tube computer could perform computation in mili seconds and were know as the first generation of computer. 

Most of the first generation computer work on the principle of storing programs instructions along with data in memory of computer so that they could autometically exicute a program without human instruction.

Memory of these computers used electromagnetic relays & user all instructions into the system using punctual card programer code instructions in machine & assembling language because of lack of high level programing in those days. Since machine & assembly languages are difficult to work with. Size of first generation computer is like a room.

Main first generation computer are :

ENIAC  (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer)

EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)

UNIIVAC (Universal non Integrated Vacuum Actuated Computer) 

IBM 701 (International Business Machine)

Main characteristics of first generation computers are:

Main electronic component	Vacuum tube.
Programming language	Machine language.
Main memory	Magnetic tapes and magnetic drums.
Input/output devices	Paper tape and punched cards.
Speed and size	Very slow and very large in size (often taking up entire room).
Examples of the first generation	IBM 650, IBM 701, ENIAC, UNIVAC1, etc.

Second generation computer (1955-1964) 9 years

In this generation a now electronic switching device called transister invented. Transister  soon praveen to be a better electronic switching device than vacuum tubes due to their following properties. 

• They were more easier to handle than vacuum tubes since they were made of germanium semiconductor material rather than glass.

• They were highly reliable as compassed to vacuum tube since they heal no parts like filament that could burn out.

• They could switch much faster than tubes.

• They consume almost 1/10 the power consume by a tube.

• They were much smaller than a tubes.

• They were less expensive to produce.

• The second generation computers were more powerfull more reliable less expencive & small & cooler to operate than the first Generation computer.

  

Main second generation computer are :

Honey well 400

IBM 7030

CDC 1604

UNIVAC LARC 

One software front high level programing language and batch operating system come during the 2nd Generation.

High level programing language : 

FORTRAN

COBOL

ALGOL

SNOVOL

Main characteristics of second generation computers are:

Main electronic component	Transistor.
Programming language	Machine language and assembly language.
Memory	Magnetic core and magnetic tape/disk.
Input/output devices	Magnetic tape and punched cards.
Power and size	Smaller in size, low power consumption, and generated less heat (in comparison with the first generation computers).
Examples of second generation	PDP-8, IBM1400 series, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107, CDC 3600 etc.

Third generation computer (1964-1974) 10 year

In third generation computer were manufacture using Ics Earlier ones using SSI technology and later one used MSI technology Ics were smaller less expensive to produce more reliable faster in operations produce less heat & consume less power than circuits build by wiring electronic components manually Hence. Third generation computers were more powerful more reliable less expencive, smaller & cooler to operate than the 2nd generation computer.

No software stand direction of high level programing languages time sharing operating and hardware and creations of independent software industry happened during third generation (FORTRON & COBOL) were the most popular high level programing language in  thoe days.

Development & the introduction of mini computer also took place during third generations computer build until early 1960 were mainframe system that only cart and smaller computers to fill the gaps left by the figure faster & costlier mainframe system.

Characteristics of 3rd generation computer : 

They were smaller third 2nd gen. computers.

They were more powerfull than the 2nd generation computer. They were capable for performing about 1 millions instructions per second.

They consume less power & dissipated less heat than the 2nd generation computer.

They were more reliable and less prone to hardware failure than 2nd generation computer, requiring lower maintenance cost.

Main third generation computer are :  

IBM 360/370

PDP-8

PDP-11

CDC 6600

Main Characteristics of third generation computer are : 

Main electronic component	Integrated circuits (ICs)
Programming language	High-level language
Memory	Large magnetic core, magnetic tape/disk
Input / output devices	Magnetic tape, monitor, keyboard, printer, etc.
Examples of third generation	IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, NCR 395, B6500, UNIVAC 1108, etc.

Fourth generation computer (1975-1989) 14 years

• PCS were smaller and cheaper than mainframe & mini computer of third generation.
• Although the fourth generation mainframe & super computer required air conditioning of the rooms in which they located no our conducting was required in fourth generation computers.
• They consume less power than 3rd generation computer. 
• They were more reliable & less prone to hardware failure in the comparision of third generation computer. 
• They had faster & larger primary & secondary  storage as compared to third generation comuter.
• They were general purpose machine. 
• There manufacturing did not required manual assambly of individual components into electronic circuit resulting in reduce human labour and cost and assembly slag use of standard of high level language.
• GUI Technology used in 4th generation computer.
• PC based application made PCs a powerfull tool for both office and more.
• PCs of fourth generation made computer affordable even why individual for their personal used at home.

Main fourth generation computer are : 

IBMPC and its clone

APPLE 11

TRS- 80

VAX 900

CRAY-1

CRAY-2 

CRAY-X/MP

Main characteristics of fourth generation computer are : 

Main electronic component	Very large-scale integration (VLSI) and the microprocessor (VLSI has thousands of transistors on a single microchip).
Memory	semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM, etc.)
Input/output devices	pointing devices, optical scanning, keyboard, monitor, printer, etc.
Examples of fourth generation	IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh, Alter 8800, etc.

Fifth generation computer (1990-till date) 

• It is primarily based totally on Artificial intelligence (AI) software Artificial intelligence.
• In the fifth generation the VLSI technology become ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology resulting in the production of microprocessor chips having ten million electron ic components.
• All is an emerging branch in computer science which interprets means and method of making computer think like human beings.
• All the higher level language like C & C++, Java Net etc. are used in this generation. 

Main fifth generation computer are : 

IBM notebook

Pentium PCS

Sun Burn Stations

IBM SP/2

Main electronic component	Based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI) technology and parallel processing method (ULSI has millions of transistors on a single microchip and Parallel processing method use two or more microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously).
Language	Understand natural language (human language).
Size	Portable and small in size.
Input / output device	Trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognize voice/speech), light scanner, printer, keyboard, monitor, mouse, etc.
Example of fifth generation	Desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

History of Computer :

History of computer can be considered from arise of human culture as person knew the calculation, they used something for this purpose like, pebbles, stone etc. but as a device Roman's abacus is first device used in B.C for calculation. In A.D. various mechanical devices were even ted for the calculation like Pascaline by Blaise Pascal, Joseph Jacquard invented loom that is 'programmed" using punched cards, Charles Babbage invented two machines Analytical engine and Difference engine and Hollerith's Census Machines (Tabulating machine). Atnasoff- Berry Computer (ABC) is a fully digital electronic device used for liner equation. Howard Aiken (IBM) had designed Mark I, the first operational general- purpose electro- mechanical Computer. John Mauchley and Presper Eckert make the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) First general purpose, digital electronic computer used to compute a ballistic firing. Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC), was the first commercially successful Computer. Two Era arises Mechanical Era (Before 1945) having mechanical devices and the Electronic Era (From 1945) having electronic processing technology. Electronic Era is divided into Four generations.