#Generations of Computer
“Generations” in a computer
talk is a step in technology. Originally, the term “Generation” was used to
distinguish between varying hardware technologies. But now a day, it has been
extended to include both hardware and
software, which together make up an entire computer system. There are totally
five computer generations known till to day. Each
generation has been discussed below.
First Generation (1940-1956): Vacuum Tubes
The computer manufactured between 1940-1956 is
treated as first generation computers. They are used Vacuum tubes in this genarations. It needs a
lot of space and requires special air conditioning system. Storage technology
was used is punched cards. They were much costlier. They consumed lot of power
and produced a lot of heat.
Advantage
- Fastest
calculating devices of their time
Disadvantages
- Generated
a lot of heat
- Consumed
a lot of electricity
- Bulky
in size
- Prone
to frequent hardware
- Required
constant maintenance because of the low mean time between failures
- Limited
commercial use
- Very
expensive
Second Generation (1956-1963): Transistors
The computers in which vacuum tubes were replacing
with transistors made from semiconductors. 2nd generation computers used more
advanced – technology. These computers are smaller in size and easier to
manufacture are more reliable than 1st generation computers. Storage technology
was improved with the use of magnetic disks.
Advantages
- Consumed
less electricity
- Generated
less heat
- Faster,
cheaper, smaller, and more reliable
- Could
be programmed using assembly and high-level languages
- Had
faster primary memory and a larger secondary memory
Disadvantage
- Transistors
had to be assembled manually, which made commercial production of
computers difficult and expensive
Third Generation (1964-1971): Integrated Circuits
In this generations of computers were introduced in
1964 by IBM (international Business Machines). This generation computers using
the integrated circuits based on large scale integration (LSI) technology. All
the electronic circuits are framed on a single small silicon chip. This chip
was able to perform all the functions that in the past required several
different electronic components.
Advantages
- Faster
and could perform one million transactions per second
- Smaller,
cheaper, and more reliable
- Faster
and larger primary memory and secondary storage
- Widely
used for scientific as well as business applications
- Supported
time sharing operating systems
Disadvantages
- Difficult
to maintain
- Got
heated very quickly
Fourth Generation (1971-1989): Microprocessors
In This generation computers use VLSI (very large
scale Integration technology). The VLSI is thousands or more components packed
in to a single chip. These technologies have lead to the development of
Microprocessor where an entire CPU is placed on a single chip.
Advantages
- Smaller,
cheaper, faster, and more reliable
- Consumed
less electricity and generated less heat
- Faster
and larger primary memory and secondary storage
- Could
be used as general-purpose computers
- GUIs
enabled people to learn to work with computers very easily
- Lead
to widespread use of computers in offices and at homes
- Networks
allowed sharing of resources
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond): Artificial Intelligence
•
Gaming: Computers
are programmed to play games such as chess and checkers. More recent examples
of such gaming systems include PlayStation by Sony.
•
Expert systems: Computers
are programmed to take decisions in real-world situations.
•
Natural languages: Computers
are programmed to understand and respond to natural human languages.
•
Neural networks: Systems are programmed to simulate intelligence by
reproducing the physical connections that take place in animal brains.
•
Robotics: Computers
are programmed to look, listen, and react to other sensory stimuli.