Chapter- 2
Generations of Computers
The rapid development was characterized by the phases of growth, which
have come to be called generation of computer.
First Generation
Basic component – Vacuum Tubes 1940-1956
Vacuum Tube consumed huge amount of electricity.
Processing Speed – Slow & Unreliable Machine
Heat Generation – Huge amount of Heat generated
Size – Bulky & Non – Portable Machine. Lying frequently hardware
failure.
Instructions – Only Machine Language was used
User Friendly – Very Difficult to operate
Cost – Production & Maintenance costs was very High
Example – ENIAC , UNIVAC , EDVAC, EDSAC, IBM-701
ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator
UNIVAC - Universal Automatic Computer (First Digital Computer)
EDVAC – Electronic discrete variable automatic computer
EDSAC – Electronic delay storage automatic calculator
IBM – International Business Machine
Second Generation
Basic component – Transistors & Diodes
Processing Speed – More reliable than 1st one
Heat Generation – Less amount of Heat generated
Size – Reduced size but still Bulky
Instructions – High level Language was used ( Like COBOL , ALGOL,
SNOBOL)
COBOL – Common Business Oriented Language
ALGOL – ALGOrithmic Language
SNOBOL – StriNg Oriented Symbolic Language
User Friendly – Easy to operate from 1st one
Cost – Production & Maintenance costs was < 1st
Example – IBM 7090, NCR 304
Third Generation
Basic component – IC (Integrated Circuits ) 1964-1971
IC is called micro electronics technology integrate a large number of
circuit components in to a very small surface of silicon known as chip.
Processing Speed – More reliable than 1st & 2nd Machine
Heat Generation – Lesser amount of Heat generated
Size – Smaller than older computer
Instructions –Expensive use of High level Language
User Friendly – General purpose Machine used in commercial
Application
Cost – Production & Maintenance costs was Cheaper than older one
Example – IBM 360, CDC 7600
Fourth Generation
Basic component –: Microprocessors 1971-Present
It integrates thousands of electronics components in to a single chip and
with VLSI ( Very large scale integration)
Thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single chip.
Processing Speed – Most reliable than older computer
Heat Generation – Virtually no Heat generated
Size – Smallest in size making them easily portable
Instructions –Very sophisticated programs & Languages use
User Friendly –Easiest to operate
Cost – Production & Maintenance costs was Cheapest than older one
Example – IBM 3090, VAX
During this period, high speed computer networking (LAN, WAN) and C
programming language became popular.
LAN – Local Area Network
WAN – Wide Area Network
Fifth Generation
Fifth Generation - Present and Beyond: (Artificial Intelligence)
ULSI - Ultra Large Scale Integration superseded VLSI technology. ULSI
consists of around 10 millions of electronic components.
Fifth Generation computing devices have knowledge information
processing system and incorporate Artificial Intelligence are still in
development.
This generation computer take decision based on information and logic
stored in them and process non- numerical information such as
graphical representations and pictures.
EXERCISES
Long Question :
1. What is a Computer? What does the term “generation” mean? Briefly
explain how many generations are there till date?
2. Give basic difference between 1st and 3rd Generation of Computer.
Short Question:
1. Expand the following abbreviations used in computer terminology.
ENIAC, UNIVAC, IBM, EDVAC, ENTAC, EDSAC, IC, AI, COBOL, ALGOL,
VLSI
SNOBOL, LAN, WAN, ULSI
2. _________ was the basic component used in 1st generations of computer.
3. _________ was the basic component used in 2nd generations of computer.
4. _________ was the basic component used in 3rd generations of computer.
5. _________ was the basic component used in 4th generations of computer.
