5 Real-Life Lessons About Generations Of Computers

 

Generations of Computers

The advent of your period gave rise to the contemporary computer. The development of the computer had begun in the sixteenth century. Numerous improvements were made to the original computer. It continued to advance in terms of speed, accuracy, size, and cost in order to push the design of the current day computer. This extensive span is frequently and conveniently divided into the following stages known as computer generations.

The phrase "generation" refers to a shift in the technology that a computer is/was using. There are now five computer generations that are known. Each generation's history, traits, and historical period have all been covered in great detail. The following table lists approximations of each generation's dates, which are generally recognised.

Every new generation of computers has significantly improved the speed and power of computational tasks. Learn about the significant technological advancements that lead to the modern computer technology we use today, as well as each of the five computer generations. The history of computer development is a subject in computer science that is frequently used to describe the various iterations of computing apparatus. 

Each new generation of computers is distinguished by a significant technological advancement that significantly altered how computers function. The majority of significant advancements from the 1940s to the present have produced ever-smaller, more affordable, powerful, and efficient computing devices and technology, reducing storage requirements and enhancing portability.

How many generations of computers are there?

The dates of significant technological advancements in computers, such as the adoption of vacuum tubes, transistors, and microprocessors, are used to define computer generations. There will be five computer generations by the year 2020. For more details and examples of computers and technologies that fit into each generation, see the generations listed below.

First generation (1940 - 1956)

Vacuum tubes were a key component of the initial generation of computers' technology. From 1940 until 1956, vacuum tubes were commonly employed in computers. First-generation computers were quite huge in size and occupied a lot of space in a room due to the larger components used in vacuum tubes, which were larger components. Some of the early computers occupied a whole room. A classic illustration of a first-generation computer is the ENIAC.

It was made up of 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, and about 20,000 vacuum tubes. It required a sizable room to contain it because it weighed more than 30 tonnes and took up a lot of space. The EDSAC, IBM 701, and Manchester Mark 1 are more examples of first-generation computers.

Main first generation computers are:

1.ENIAC: The general-purpose computer Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer was created by J. Presper Eckert and John V. Mauchly. It had 18,000 vacuum tubes and had been exceedingly big and heavy.

2.EDVAC: Von Neumann created the electronic discrete variable automatic computer. Because it could hold both data and instructions, speed was increased.

3.UNIVAC: 1952 saw the creation of the Universal Automatic Computer by Eckert and Mauchly.

Second generation (1956 - 1963)

Transistors were used in place of vacuum tubes in the second generation of computers. From 1956 through 1963, transistors were a common component in computers. Because transistors were more compact than vacuum tubes, computers could be made more compactly, more quickly, and more affordably. The TX-0, which was released in 1956, was the first computer to employ transistors. The Philco Transac S-1000, the RCA 501, and the IBM 7070 are among further computers that utilised transistors.

Bell Labs is where the transistor was created. Thankfully, it also decreased the warmth, which was produced by vacuum tubes, and the size and cost. The second generation saw the introduction of the Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, programming language, and input and output modules. Programming became significantly easier for programmers as the programming language transitioned from high level to programming language. Programming during this time was done in FORTRAN (1956), ALGOL (1958), and COBOL (1959).

Third generation (1964 - 1971)

Integrated circuits (ICs) were first used in computers in the third generation. Even more than second-generation computers, the use of ICs in computers contributed to their size reduction and speed improvement. Since the middle to late 1960s, ICs have been used in almost all computers. Even though many people believe the third generation to have existed between 1964 and 1971, integrated circuits (ICs) are being utilised in computers today. Today's computers have a long history that dates back to the third generation, more than 45 years ago.

On a single, thin piece of silicon, an integrated circuit (IC) is made up of many transistors, registers, and capacitors. During this generation, the value size was decreased but memory usage and dealing efficiency were elevated. Now programming was extinct. Advanced languages like BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). During this time, minicomputers begin to take shape.

Fourth generation (1971 - 2010)

The microprocessor, also referred to as a CPU, was developed for the fourth generation of computers. The development of the laptop and the ability for computers to comfortably fit on a desk were both made possible by microprocessors and integrated circuits. Microprocessors were first used in computers by the Altair 8800, IBM 5100, and Micral. Even though the fourth generation of microprocessors is thought to have ended in 2010, computers still use them today.

This generation offered computers that were even smaller in size yet had more capacity. LSI circuits were replaced by Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits because that wasn't adequate. The 1971-developed Intel 4004chip enabled a significant reduction in size by consolidating all of the computer's parts, from the central processing unit and memory to the input/output controls, onto a single chip. In the fourth generation, the idea of personal computers and computer networks was developed.

Fifth generation (2010 to present)

Artificial intelligence (AI), a fascinating technology with a wide range of potential global applications, is now being used by the fifth generation of computers. Although advances in AI and computing have been made, there is still much opportunity for advancement. IBM Watson, which competed on the TV game show Jeopardy, is one of the more well-known examples of AI in computers. Apple's Siri on the iPhone and Microsoft's Cortana on computers running Windows 8 and Windows 10 are two other, better-known instances. To process user searches, the Google search engine also uses AI.

The fifth generation of computers have the highest speed, the smallest size, and a much larger use area. Although complete AI has not yet been attained, it is frequently predicted that this dream will likewise come true very soon given current progress. When comparing the characteristics of different computer generations, it is sometimes claimed that while there has been a significant advancement in terms of operating speed and accuracy, the dimensions have decreased with time.

Sixth generation (future generations)

Most people still believe we are in the fifth generation as of 2021 as AI continues to advance. The quantum computer is one potential candidate for a sixth generation in the future. Quantum computing is currently simply a potential idea, though, until it is further researched and applied. Nanotechnology is seen by some as belonging to the sixth generation. Nanotechnology is primarily still in its infancy and needs more development before becoming widely used, much like quantum computing.

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