Generations of Computers
Subein Byanjankar
Introduction
• Changes to Hardware Technologies introduce
new generations
• Software and Hardware combinations have
defined modern generations of computers
• Categorized in Five generations till date.
• Time period is approximately determined.
• Some time periods may vary a year or two due
to initiation, development, implementation and
acceptance time.
The First Generation Computers
• 1946 - 1959
• Technology: Vacuum Tubes as Memory Device.
• Expensive and VERY large in Size
• Required an extra housing space.
• Eg: ENIAC, MARK-I and EDVAC
• Used about 18000 Vacuum Tubes.
• Operating Speed was up to millisecond
• Used machine level Language
Advantage
• Vacuum tubes were the only electronic
components available.
• The tubes made it possible for advent of
electronic digital computers
• Knows as fastest calculating devices of the
time. As in milliseconds.
Disadvantages
• Bulk size makes it not portable.
• Unreliable due to hardware failures.
• Large amount of heat is generated, energy
consumption is high and a lot of space
required.
• Costly for commercial use.
• Requires Air conditioning
Second Generation Computers
• 1959 – 1965
• Vacuum tubes replaced by Transistors.
• Size of transistors were small in size so
ultimately computers became small in size.
• 1 transistor replaced 1000 vacuum tubes, so
18000 vacuum tubes could be replaced by only
18 transistors.
• Used magnetic storage and memory
• Speed of operation increased to microseconds
Advantages
• Small in size
• Reliable than the first generation computers
• Less energy wastages and longer operation
times
• Faster in terms of operating speed
• Possible for improved commercial access for a
few.
Disadvantages
• Still required air-conditioning
• Manual Assembly of components was
required
• Commercial production to a mass was difficult
and costly
Third Generation Computers
• 1965-1971
• Used Integrated Circuit (IC) chips.
• Replaced transistors as memory device.
• Used Mass storage such as Hard Disk, Floppy Disk, Tape etc.
• Multiprocessing and Multiprogramming came into
existance.
• Used high level language such as COBOL, FORTRAN etc
• Semiconductor device as primary storage (memory).
• Large scale integration concept to include 10 to 20
components into a small chip.
Advantages
• Smaller in size than previous generation, more
portable
• Reliable than the 2nd generation computers
• Computation time to nanoseconds
• Wide commercial production was economically
possible
• Less power requirements
• Manual assembly of component is not required,
the IC itself is a functioning unit.
Disadvantages
• Highly sophisticated technology is required for
manufacturing the IC chips.
• Air Conditioning may require depending on
the environment
Fourth Generation Computers
• 1971-1980
• Used VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Chips as
memory device.
• Eg: IBM PC, machintosh, Intel 4004 etc.
• Modern computers as of this generation
• Size of computers are small, introduction to micro
computers, personal computers and networking
• New high level languages
• Hundreds of components could be fit into a chip
Advantages
• Small and smallest size
• Less heat, high reliability
• Operating power is less
• No air conditioning is reqired
• Must faster
• Minimal maintenance is required
• Cheap
• Less labour is required for integration
Disadvantages
• Highly sophisticated technology is required to
produce VLSI chips
Fifth Generation Computers
• 1980 onwards
• Not clear on how or what direction fifth
generation takes
• Uses ULSI (Ultra large scale integration) and
Bio Chips
• Will use Natural Languages, Natural Interfaces
and Artificial Intelligence.
• Parallel processing
Conclusion
• Generation computers are classified into time
periods of five generations
• Each generation resemble a technology
changes
