The document summarizes the five generations of computers from the 1940s to present. The first generation used vacuum tubes and were large, expensive machines programmed for specific tasks. The second generation introduced transistors, memory storage, and operating systems. High-level languages became common. The third generation saw the development of integrated circuits which made computers smaller and more reliable. The fourth generation began in the 1970s with microprocessors and personal computers, and saw networking and the internet develop. The fifth generation involves artificial intelligence and parallel processing to be more powerful than current computers.
2. First Generation (1941-1956)
Until 1951 computer were in possessions of Scientists,
Engineers and military
No one tried to make electronic computer
John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly the first to
try was a general purpose computer
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)
was produced by a partnership between University of
Pennsylvania and the US government.
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3. Von Neumann designed the (EDVAC) Electronic
Discrete Variable Automatic Computer
(EDVAC) in 1945 with a memory to hold both a
stored program as well as data
Von Neumann's computer allowed for all the
computer functions to be controlled by a single
source.
Then in 1951 came the Universal Automatic
Computer(UNIVAC I), designed by Remington rand
and collectively owned by US census bureau and
General Electronic.
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4. In first generation computers, the operating instructions
or programs were specifically built for the task for which
computer was manufactured.
So first generation computers were down (not working)
much of time
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5. Second Generation Computers (1956-1963)
The invention of Transistors marked the start of the
second generation.
Second generation computers also started showing the
characteristics of modern day computers with utilities
such as printers, disk storage and operating systems.
Many financial information was processed using these
computers.
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6. The instructions(program) could be stored inside the
computer's memory.
High-level languages such as COBOL (Common
Business-Oriented Language) and FORTRAN (Formula
Translator) were used, and they are still used for some
applications nowadays
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7. Third Generation Computers (1964-
1971)
Although transistors were great deal of improvement
over the vacuum tubes, they generated heat and
damaged the sensitive areas of the computer.
The Integrated Circuit(IC) was invented in 1958 by Jack
Kilby.
It combined electronic components onto a small silicon
disc, made from quartz.
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8. More advancement made possible the fittings of even
more components on a small chip or a semi conductor.
Third generation computers, the operating systems
allowed the machines to run many different applications.
These applications were monitored and coordinated by
the computer's memory.
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9. Fourth Generation (1971-Present)
Fourth Generation computers are the modern day
computers.
The Size started to go down with the improvement in
the integrated circuits.
Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) and Ultra Large
scale Integration (ULSI) ensured that millions of
components could be fit into a small chip
It reduced the size and price of the computers at the
same time increasing power, efficiency and reliability
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10. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, took the
integrated circuit one step further by locating all the
components of a computer (central processing unit,
memory, and input and output controls) on a minuscule
chip(extremely small).
First came the minicomputers
which offered users different applications, most famous
of these the word processors and spreadsheets
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11. In 1981, IBM introduced personal computers for home
and office use.
The number of personal computers in use more than
doubled from 2 million in 1981 to 5.5 million in 1982.
Ten years later, 65 million PCs were being used.
It went down from Desktop to laptops to Palmtops.
Machintosh introduced Graphic User Interface
Networking of computers for the sharing of data
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12. Local Area Networks(LAN) and Wide Area
Network(WAN), were potential benefits,
Implemented in corporations and everybody could share
data over it. Soon the internet and World Wide Web
appeared on the computer scene and the Hi-Tech
revolution of 90's.
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13. Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond)
In the minds of advance research scientists and being
tested out in the laboratories.
These computers will be under Artificial Intelligence(AI)
They will be able to take commands in a audio visual
way and carry out instructions.
Many of the operations which requires low human
intelligence will be performed by these computers.
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14. Parallel Processing is coming and showing the possibility
that the power of many CPU's can be used side by side
Computers will be more powerful than those under
central processing.
Advances in Super Conductor technology will greatly
improve the speed of information traffic.
Future looks bright for the computers.
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