Generations of Computers

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The history of computer development is often referred as to the different generations of computing devices. Each of the five generations of computers is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable computing devices. As a result of the miniaturization, speed, power and memory of computers have proportionally increased. New discoveries are constantly being developed that affect the way we live, work and play.

First generation (1940-1956): vacuum tubes. The first computers used vacuum tubes and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions. First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts. The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are the examples of the first-generation computing devices.

Second generation (1956-1963): transistors. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see a widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Second-generation computers moved to symbolic, or assembly languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as the early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

Third generation (1964-1971): integrated circuits. The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers. Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with the third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Fourth generation (1971-present): microprocessors. The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer – from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls – on a single chip. In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of the GUI and the mouse.

Fifth generation (present and beyond): artificial intelligence. Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come.

1. What did first generation computers rely on? Give the examples of the first-generation computing devices. 2. When was the transistor invented? 3. What are its advantages over the vacuum tubes? 4. What was the hallmark of the third generation of computers? 5. Describe the fourth generation of computers. 6. When was the Macintosh introduced? 7. What are fifth generation computers based on?