T
he history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of computing devices. A generation refers to the state of improvement in the product development process. This term is also used in the different advancements of new computer technology. With each new generation, the circuitry has gotten smaller and more advanced than the previous generation before it. As a result of the miniaturization, speed, power, and computer memory has proportionally increased. New discoveries are constantly being developed that affect the way we live, work and play.
Each generation of computers is characterized by major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices. Read about each generation and the developments that led to the current devices that we use today.
1) IST GENERATION (1940 to 1956)
2) 2ND GENERATION (1956 to 1963)
3) 3RD GENERATION (1964 to 1971)
4) 4TH GENERATION (1971 to present)
5) 5TH GENERATION (Present and Next)
Generation
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Memory Device
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Features
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First
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Vacuum Tubes or Valves
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Ø used vacuum tubes as electronic circuit
Ø magnetic drum for primary storage
Ø mercury delay lined for memory
Ø punch-card used as secondary storage
Ø machine level programming used
Ø operating speed was used in terms of millisecond
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Second
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Transistor
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Ø magnet core memory used as internal storage
Ø magnet tapes used as secondary storage
Ø little bit faster I/O devices
Ø high level language used as programming
Ø processing speed measured in microsecond
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Third
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IC(Integrated circuits)
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Ø semi conductor memory used as primary storage
Ø magnetic discs were used as secondary storage
Ø massive use of high level language
Ø processing speed increased to nanosecond and even faster
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Fourth
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VLSI or Microprocessor
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Ø massive use of magnetic and optical storage devices with capacity more
than 100 GB
Ø advancement in software and high level language
Ø use of 4th generation language(4GL)
Ø operation speed increased beyond picoseconds and MIPS (Millions of
Instructions Per Second)
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Fifth
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Bio-Chips
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Ø AI(ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) will make computer Intelligent and
knowledge based
Ø very high speed, PROLOG (programming language)
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