Computer Generations
- First Generation
- the period of first generation was 1942-1954.
- First generation of computer started with using Vacuum tubes as the basic components for memory and circuity for CPU ( Central Processing Unit). These tubes like electric bulls produced a lot heat and were prone to frequent fusing of the installations, therefore, were very expensive and could be afforded only by very large organisations.
- In this generation mainly batch processing operating system were used. In this generation Punched cards, Paper tape, Magnetic tape Input & Output device were used.
- There were Machine code and electric wired board language used.
- The main features of First Generation are:
- Vacuum tube technology
- Unreliable
- Supported Machine language only
- Very costly
- Generate lot of heat
- Slow Input / Output device
- Huge size
- Need of A.C.
- Non portable
- Consumed lot of electricity
- Some computer of this generation were:
- Second Generation
- The period of second generation was 1952-1964.
- This generation Using the transistor were cheaper, consumed less power, more compact in size, more reliable and faster then the first generation machines made of used as primary memory and magnetic tape and magnetic disks as secondary storage devices.
- In the generation assembly language and high level programming language like FORTRAN, COBOL were used.
- There were Batch processing and Multiprogramming Operating system used.
- The main features of Second Generation are:
- Use of transistors
- Reliable as compared to First generation computers
- Smaller size as compared to first generation computers
- Generate less hear as compared to First generation computers
- Consumed less electricity as compared to First generation computers
- Faster then first generation computers
- Still very costly
- A.C needed
- Support machine and assmebly languages
- Some computer of this generation were:
- Third Generation
- The period of third generation was 1964-1972.
- The third generation of computer is marked by use of Integrated Circuits (IC's) in place of transistors. A single I.C has many transistors, resistors and capacitors along with the associated circuitry. The I.C was invented by Jack Kilby. This development made computers smaller in size, reliable and efficient.
- In this generation Remote processing, Time-sharing, Real-time. Multi-programming Operating System were used.
- High level language (FORTRAN-II TO IV, COBOL, PASCALPL/L, BASIC, ALGOL-68 etc.) were used during this generation.
- The main features of Third Generation are:
- IC used
- More reliable
- Smaller size
- Generation less heat
- Faster
- Lesser maintenance
- Still costly
- A.C needed
- Consumed lesser electricity
- Support high level language
- some computer of this generation were:
- IBM-360 series, Honeywell-6000 series
- Fourth Generation
- The period of fourth generation was 1972-1990.
- The fourth generation of computers is marked by the use of VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED (VLSI) circuits. VLSI Circuit having about 500 transistors and other circuit elements and their associated circuits on a single chip made it possible to have microcomputer of fourth generation. Fourth Generation computers become 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 higher level language like C and C++, DBASE etc. were used in this generation.
- The main features of Fourth generation are:
- VLSI Technology
- Very cheap
- Portable and reliable
- Use of PC's
- Very small size
- Pipeline processing
- No. A.C. needed
- Fifth Generation
- The period of fifth generation is 1990 till date.
- In the fifth generation, the VLSI technology become ULSI ( Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology, resulting in the production of microprocessor chips have ten million electronic computers.
- This generation is on parallel processing hardware and AL ( Artificial Intelligence) software.
