Computer Generations
In This Post you'll be knowing how a computer came into existence and its generations
What is a Computer..?
A computer is a programmable machine. The two principal characteristics of a computer are: It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner and it can execute a prerecorded list of instructions called Programs/Applications
In addition to these components, many others make it possible for the basic components to work together efficiently. For example, every computer requires a bus that transmits data from one part of the computer to another.
First Generation Computers 1940'-1956 (Vacuum Tubes)
Second Generation computers 1950's-1963 (Transistors)
A microprocessor, sometimes called a logic chip, is a computer processor on a microchip.
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. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence exhibited by machines. In computer science, an ideal "intelligent" machine is a flexible rational agent that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success at some goal. Colloquially, the term "artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine mimics "cognitive" functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as "learning" and "problem solving". As machines become increasingly capable, mental facilities once thought to require intelligence are removed from the definition. For example, optical character recognition is no longer perceived as an exemplar of "artificial intelligence", having become a routine technology.Capabilities currently classified as AI include successfully understanding human speech,competing at a high level in strategic game systems (such as Chess), self-driving cars, and interpreting complex data
What is a Computer..?
A computer is a programmable machine. The two principal characteristics of a computer are: It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner and it can execute a prerecorded list of instructions called Programs/Applications
The modern machines or current generation of computers
can be defines as An electronic Machine which takes input, processes the (input) data, and provides output
computer Basically Works on two Things
1. Hardware
2.Software
The Physical parts of a computer like wires, circuits, etc are known as its Hardware
and the Instructions, Data, Programs, Operating system(OS) is known as Software
All general purpose computer requires mandatory following components
1. Memory
2. Storage
3. Input Devices
4. Output Devices
5. CPU (central processing Unit)
Where memory allow computers to store instruction, data, Temporarily example for computer memory or the computer memory itself is RAM (Random Access Memory).
The storage is where computer stores the data permanently hence it is also know as permanent memory or secondary memory ex: Hard disk, Flash memories, CD/DVD/Floppy.
Input Devices are those using which we can command the computer or give a instruction to a computer ex: Keyboard, Mouse etc
Output Devices are those from which a computer provides us with the processed data it can a soft copy or hard copy
soft-copies can be referred as a file like a image,PDF, Document, etc.
and hard-copies are those like printouts etc.
CPU is the heart of the computer, this is the component that actually executes instructions. or Processes the data
In addition to these components, many others make it possible for the basic components to work together efficiently. For example, every computer requires a bus that transmits data from one part of the computer to another.
Lets Start
Beginning with computer Generations
First Generation Computers 1940'-1956 (Vacuum Tubes)The first Computer Build was was developed at the University of Manchester, England . It was described as a vacuum tube-based electronic computer.
UNIVAC
ENIAC
It used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the first computers 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, and it could take days or weeks to set-up a new problem. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
Punch Cards
Punch Card
Paper Tape
what actually is a Magnetic Drum
A direct-access, or random-access, storage device. A magnetic drum, also referred to as drum, is a metal cylinder coated with magnetic iron-oxide material on which data and programs can be stored. Magnetic drums were once used as a primary storage device but have since been implemented as auxiliary storage devices.
The tracks on a magnetic drum are assigned to channels located around the circumference of the drum, forming adjacent circular bands that wind around the drum. A single drum can have up to 200 tracks. As the drum rotates at a speed of up to 3,000 rpm, the device's read/write heads deposit magnetized spots on the drum during the write operation and sense these spots during a read operation. This action is similar to that of a magnetic tape or disk drive.
Unlike some disk packs, the magnetic drum cannot be physically removed. The drum is permanently mounted in the device. Magnetic drums are able to retrieve data at a quicker rate than tape or disk devices but are not able to store as much data as either of them.
you might also be wondering, what a vacuum tube may be...? below is the image of a vacuum tube.
Now lets see a little bit about how a vacuum tube works, to understand its use in computer.
A Vacuum Tube is Alternatively referred to as an electron tube or valve and first developed by John Ambrose Flemingin 1904. The vacuum tube is a glass tube that has its gas removed, creating a vacuum. Vacuum tubes contain electrodes for controlling electron flow and were used in early computers as a switch or an amplifier. The picture shows a collection of different vacuum tubes used with different devices.
Vacuum tubes were also used in radios, televisions, radar equipment, and telephone systems during the first half of the 1900's. In the 1950's, the transistor started to replace the vacuum tube. Today, vacuum tubes are no longer used in electronic equipment.
So that was how a the worlds first computer worked
and as u heard about transistor above lets see what it was used in the
Second Generation computers 1950's-1963 (Transistors) |
| UNIVAC |
 |
| ENIAC |
It used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the first computers 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, and it could take days or weeks to set-up a new problem. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
Punch Cards
 |
| Punch Card |
 |
| Paper Tape |
what actually is a Magnetic Drum
A direct-access, or random-access, storage device. A magnetic drum, also referred to as drum, is a metal cylinder coated with magnetic iron-oxide material on which data and programs can be stored. Magnetic drums were once used as a primary storage device but have since been implemented as auxiliary storage devices.
The tracks on a magnetic drum are assigned to channels located around the circumference of the drum, forming adjacent circular bands that wind around the drum. A single drum can have up to 200 tracks. As the drum rotates at a speed of up to 3,000 rpm, the device's read/write heads deposit magnetized spots on the drum during the write operation and sense these spots during a read operation. This action is similar to that of a magnetic tape or disk drive.
Unlike some disk packs, the magnetic drum cannot be physically removed. The drum is permanently mounted in the device. Magnetic drums are able to retrieve data at a quicker rate than tape or disk devices but are not able to store as much data as either of them.
Now lets see a little bit about how a vacuum tube works, to understand its use in computer.
A Vacuum Tube is Alternatively referred to as an electron tube or valve and first developed by John Ambrose Flemingin 1904. The vacuum tube is a glass tube that has its gas removed, creating a vacuum. Vacuum tubes contain electrodes for controlling electron flow and were used in early computers as a switch or an amplifier. The picture shows a collection of different vacuum tubes used with different devices.
Vacuum tubes were also used in radios, televisions, radar equipment, and telephone systems during the first half of the 1900's. In the 1950's, the transistor started to replace the vacuum tube. Today, vacuum tubes are no longer used in electronic equipment.
So that was how a the worlds first computer worked
and as u heard about transistor above lets see what it was used in the
Second generation Computers
Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see 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.
Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language 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 early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.
Now lets see what is a transistor on which the second generation of computer worked
Transistor
it is a device composed of semiconductor material that amplifies a signal or opens or closes a circuit. Invented in 1947 at Bell Labs, transistors have become the key ingredient of all digital circuits, including computers. Today's microprocessors contains tens of millions of microscopic transistors.
compared to first generation computer they were composed of vacuum tubes, which had many disadvantages. They were much larger, required more energy, dissipated more heat, and were more prone to failures. It's safe to say that without the invention of transistors, computing as we know it today would not be possible.
Transistor
 |
| Second generation Computers |
Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see 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.
Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language 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 early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.
 |
| Transistor |
Third Generation Computers 1960's-1971 (Integrated Circuits / IC's)
Third Generation Computers
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 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.
What Are IC's (integrated Circuits)
Another name for a chip, an integrated circuit (IC) is a small electronic device made out of a semiconductor material. The first integrated circuit was developed in the 1950's by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.
Integrated circuits are used for a variety of devices, including microprocessors, audio and video equipment, and automobiles. Integrated circuits are often classified by the number of transistors and other electronic components they contain:
SSI (small-scale integration):Up to 100 electronic components per chip
MSI (medium-scale integration):From 100 to 3,000 electronic components per chip
LSI (large-scale integration):From 3,000 to 100,000 electronic components per chip
VLSI (very large-scale integration):From 100,000 to 1,000,000 electronic components per chip
ULSI (ultra large-scale integration): More than 1 million electronic components per chip
 |
| Third Generation Computers |
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 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.
What Are IC's (integrated Circuits)
Another name for a chip, an integrated circuit (IC) is a small electronic device made out of a semiconductor material. The first integrated circuit was developed in the 1950's by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.
Integrated circuits are used for a variety of devices, including microprocessors, audio and video equipment, and automobiles. Integrated circuits are often classified by the number of transistors and other electronic components they contain:
SSI (small-scale integration):Up to 100 electronic components per chip
MSI (medium-scale integration):From 100 to 3,000 electronic components per chip
LSI (large-scale integration):From 3,000 to 100,000 electronic components per chip
VLSI (very large-scale integration):From 100,000 to 1,000,000 electronic components per chip
ULSI (ultra large-scale integration): More than 1 million electronic components per chip
Fourth Generation Computers 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. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
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 GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
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. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
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 GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
What is a micro processor..?
A microprocessor, sometimes called a logic chip, is a computer processor on a microchip.
It is composed of millions of IC's
The microprocessor contains all, or most of, the central processing unit (CPU) functions and is the "engine" that goes into motion when you turn your computer on. A microprocessor is designed to perform arithmetic and logic operations that make use of small number-holding areas called registers. Typical microprocessor operations include adding, subtracting, comparing two numbers, and fetching numbers from one area to another. These operations are the result of a set of instructions that are part of the microprocessor design.
Fifth Generation Computer Present and Beyond (Artificial Intelligence)
What is Artificial intelligence..?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence exhibited by machines. In computer science, an ideal "intelligent" machine is a flexible rational agent that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success at some goal. Colloquially, the term "artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine mimics "cognitive" functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as "learning" and "problem solving". As machines become increasingly capable, mental facilities once thought to require intelligence are removed from the definition. For example, optical character recognition is no longer perceived as an exemplar of "artificial intelligence", having become a routine technology.Capabilities currently classified as AI include successfully understanding human speech,competing at a high level in strategic game systems (such as Chess), self-driving cars, and interpreting complex data
Now we Know the history Of computers.....
Quote: Past is history.. but Present is past so are we history too..??? Think About it
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