Geerations of Computer 1st to 5th Explained with Pictures.
The history of computer technology is often used to refer to the origin of all the different generations of
computers. From first to fifth each computer generation is characterized by significant technological
development in their components, memory, and elements which essentially changed the way these
devices work.
Several periods of generation from over the years advanced the technological evolution leads to the
creation of today’s modern computer with more complex, more powerful, and increased capability and
functionality.
Table of Contents hide
Introduction to Computer Generations
Generations of Computer From 1st to 5th
1st Generation of Computer (1940-1956)
2nd Generation of Computer (1956-1964)
3rd Generation of Computer (1964-1971)
4th Generation of Computer (1971-2010)
5th Generation of Computer (2010-At Present)
Classification of the computer by generations
Factors/Reasons for the development of computer generations:
FAQs
Introduction to Computer Generations
This development period of electronic computing technology is called Computer Generation. There
are five generations of computers identified, although the sixth generation could be in development now
in the early 21st century.
During the evolutionary timeline, each generation of computers has improved a lot by undergoing
considerable changes in their size, type, and functionality.
By analyzing them, one can trace the evolution of computer technology, to see how the computer
industry has changed over the years and how great capabilities
and software progress has been made by humankind in under a hundred years, as a result, the creation
of different generations.
At present, the computer is playing a significant part in human existence because today’s digital
computer is being used for every work in each field. If someday an issue occurs in the computer or
the server is down, at that point all the work stops. This is how significant it is for technology
development!
In this article, I will introduce you to all the generations of computers with pictures by explaining the
complete information about their characteristics, names, components, and examples too.
Generations of Computer From 1st to 5th
Let’s discover the series of computer generations in the following list:
1st Generation of Computer (1940-1956)
This first generation of computers was based on vacuum tube technology used for calculations,
storage, and control, invented in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming. The vacuum tubes and diode valves
were the chief components of the first generations of computers.
First-generation computers relied on the lowest-level machine language, in order to perform operations,
and could only solve a single problem at a point of time.
Magnetic drums were used as the memory in these computers (were very slow in speed). The punched
and magnetic tapes were used for the input and output function of the computer in order to display on
prints even the results weren’t 100% accurate.
Also, the first generation of computers available was based on the 8-bit microprocessor.
The disadvantages of 1st gen computers are that they were very enormous in size and heavy in
weight (made of thousands of vacuum tubes), occupying large rooms. Also, once they were kept in one
place it was difficult to transfer. Another con like using a decimal number system and many switches and
cables.
In addition, they were also very expensive to operate with using a large amount of electricity, the vacuum
tubes produced large amounts of heat, so an air conditioner was required for the proper functioning
unless a lot of heat can cause a malfunction.
The advantage of the first generation of computers is that they could calculate in milliseconds (about five
thousand sums per second.)
The computers of first-generation were managed to use in different fields like weather forecasting,
solving mathematical problems, energy tasks, also in space research, military, and other scientific tasks.
In the first generation of computers, the first computer of the world named “ENIAC” (Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Computer) was discovered by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert in the year between
1943 to 1945.
ENIAC used panel-to-panel wiring and switches for programming, occupied more than 1,000 square feet,
used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, and weighed 30 tons.
Characteristics of the 1st Generation of Computer:
Vacuum tubes and diode valves were used as the main electronic component in the first generation
computers.
Punch cards, paper tape utilized for input and output operations.
Magnetic drums used for storage.
Huge in size and weight with a lot of power consumption.
Very expensive in price also not reliable.
Computers were programmed with low-level machine language also has low operating speed.
Examples
Examples of the first generation of computers are ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Computer), UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) EDSEC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic
Calculator), EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer), (Electronic delay storage
automatic calculator), IBM -701 and IBM 650.
ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer. This computer about 18,000 vacuum
tubes used for the calculation result in huge in size, occupied more than 1,000 square feet, and weighed
30 tons. These were the harbingers of today’s digital computers. This first computing machine was
designed by people J. P. Eckert, W. Mosley, J. W. Mauchly.
2nd Generation of Computer (1956-1964)
The second generation of computers replaced the vacuum tubes with a reliable component
called transistors for manufacturing of computers was invented by William Shockley in 1947.
The transistors were the revolution in the computer field because this component advantaged the 2nd
gen
computer by increasing the performance, operating speed (hundreds of thousands of operations per
second), as well as decreased the electricity consumption of the computers.
Transistors were far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to get faster, cheaper, more
energy-efficient made and possible to reduce the size of computing equipment and ultimately heat
reduced and reliability improved.
Computers of second-generation are characterized by the use of the first high-level programming
languages, allowing programmers to specify instructions in words. At this time, early versions of COBOL,
ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN languages were developed.
These were the first computers to store their instructions in their memory, which went from a magnetic
drum to magnetic core technology. During this period, the first computer game name “Spacewar” was
seen on a PDP-1 computer.
Do you know~ that the oldest abacus was a computing machine designed to calculate thousands of
years ago, which is still used in schools today to do calculations.
Also, the concept of Central Processing Unit (CPU), multi-programming operating systems, programming
language, memory, and input and output units (I / O units) were developed in the timeline of second-
generation computers.
The major disadvantages of Second-generation computers were they still relied on punch cards for input
and hard copies for output as well as still it was difficult to move the computers for the reason they were
enough large and even some computers needed ACs.
.This second generation of computers was first used in the fields like the atomic energy industry and
nuclear power plants and other commercial fields.
Characteristics of the 2nd Generation of Computer:
Computers based on transistors
instead of vacuum tubes.
Magnetic Tape was used to store data.
Relatively small in size and reduced weight with low energy consumption than 1st gen computers.
Faster, reliable, and less expensive than the first generation.
Use of storage devices, printers, and operating systems, etc.
Higher-level languages like COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN were developed and used.
Examples
Examples of the second generation of
computers include IBM 1620, CDC 1604, IBM 7094, UNIVAC 1108, IBM 620, CDC 3600, IBM 4044,
Honeywell 400, IBM 1401 Mainframe, and PDP-1 minicomputer. IBM was actively working, producing
transistor versions of its computers.
3rd Generation of Computer (1964-1971)
The third generation appeared in the form of integrated circuits (invented by Jack Kilby from 1958 to
1964). An IC (integrated circuit) is consists of many small transistors mounted on chips, which are called
semiconductors.
This synchronized chip became an
important foundation for the third generation computers when scientists combined hundreds of
transistors fit in this circuit result in a more powerful electronic segment called an integrated circuit.
Multiprogramming was implemented (this is when there are several executable programs in memory) at
the same time that it diminished their manufacturing costs. In the mid-60s. IBM improved the term
“computer architecture”. By the end of the 60s. mini-computers appeared.
This revolutionary innovation allowed to expansion of the processing capacity and memory of the
machines.
Instead of punch cards and prints, users interacted via keyboards and monitors,
and interacted with an operating system, allowing the device to run various applications at once with a
central program that monitored the memory.
As you can see, the first appearance of computer monitors fell on the second generation of computers.
The invention belongs to the company IBM, which in 1964 released the commercial display station IBM-
2250.
it was used in the system/360 series. The model had a vector monochrome display measuring 12×12
inches, with a resolution of 1024×1024 pixels and a refresh rate of 40 Hz. This invention revolutionized
today’s different types of monitors including LCD, LED, OLED, and Curved
Shaped monitors.
The invention of IC incredibly decreased the size of computers and made it easy for transportation from
one place to another. The working speed and efficiency of this generation of computers were much faster
than the previous generation and even cheaper.
High-end languages such as PASCAL, BASIC, FORTRAN – II TO IV, COBOL, ALGOL developed in this
generation.
For the first time, they got access to a mass audience allowed computers to penetrate into different
spheres of human activity since they were smaller and cheaper. Along these, they turned out to be more
specialized (i.e., there were different computers for different tasks).
The 3rd generation of computers was the initial move towards the miniaturization of computers and
quickly expanded their scope: control, automation of scientific experiments, data transmission, etc. In
addition to being used in the manufacture of radios, TVs, and other similar devices.
Characteristics of the 3rd Generation of Computer:
In this generation, computers based on Integrated Circuit was more powerful than the transistor.
The size of the computers was likewise little because the size of the IC being more modest than the
circuit size of the transistors.
.More reliable, inexpensive, faster, energy-efficient, as well as very light in weight than 2nd gen
computers.
The first Computer Mouse and Keyboard were appeared and used in the 3rd generation of computers
Use of new versions of high-level languages like BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, PASCAL, and ALGOL
Available for a mass audience and made it possible for general purpose usage.
Examples
Some of the most popular models of the
3rd generation of computers were the ICL 2903, ICL 1900, TDC-B16, IBM 360 and 370, Honeywell 6000,
UNIVAC 1108, PDP-8, and PDP-11, which were ideal in their handling multiprocessing capabilities,
reliability, and flexibility than previous generations.
4th Generation of Computer (1971-2010)
The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits
equivalent to about millions of transistors were assembled and brought the whole central processing unit
and other fundamental elements of the machine into a small chip called a microprocessor fitted on
the CPU socket.
These computers used Very Large Scale Integrated circuits technology also called VLSI technology.
After the invention, the microprocessor began to used in computing machines in the fourth and fifth
generations of computers.
Within the framework of the considered generation in 1971, the first microprocessor appeared as an
unexpected result of Intel’s work on calculator circuits and further development of minicomputers ( PDP-
11 ).
The first personal computer and a microcomputer was “ALTAIR” developed
by the company MITS in 1974. Also, the first microprocessor was the Intel 4004, manufactured in 1971,
initially for an electronic calculator. Whereas the computers of the first generation filled an entire room,
while now the 4th generation ‘microprocessors’ fit in the palm of the hand.
This generation of computers used an operating system based on the graphical user interface (GUI),
which means these numbers were very easy to perform mathematical and logical tasks.
The computers started to utilize high-speed memory systems on integrated circuits with a capacity of
several megabytes. Computer performance has increased significantly (hundreds of millions of
operations per second).
The high-level language like C, C ++, Java, PHP, Python, Visual Basic, was utilized to compose
programs in the computers of the fourth generation.
The advent of the first personal computers in the mid-70s gave every common user the same computing
resources that enormous computers had during the 60s. These computers were made more modest,
faster, and less expensive can undoubtedly be put on a table or desk. Which marked the so-called era
of personal computers.
Peripheral devices, such as mice, joysticks, handheld devices, etc., were developed during this 4th
generation.
Computers could be connected together in a network to share information with each other, this has
played an important role in the birth and development of LAN, Ethernet, and the Internet.
The most popular companies in the world like Intel and AMD were rising. Then again, companies
like Microsoft and Apple introduced their operating systems ‘Windows’ and ‘Macintosh’ in the generation
of this computer. Because of which the act of multimedia started.
This is the era where personal computers were born, an idea that actually persists today. Also, these
were the generation of DEC’s (Digital Equipment Corporation)
minicomputers.
Characteristics of the 4th Generation of Computer:
Computers based on microprocessors and VLSI technology.
The computers of 4th gen were small in size, lightweight, and almost portable computers.
The processing speed of this computer generation was much faster and reliable than the previous three
generations.
The size and cost of power supply units has reduced.
Use of languages like C, C +
Computing in the 5th computer generation is versatile made portable, powerful, lightweight, innovative,
comfortable with low electricity consumption. Because of the Internet’s advantages, it extended its limits
of use to limits never before suspected.
+, .Net, Java, PHP, Python, Visual Basic.
Use of GUI Based OS with more
memory capacity.
Accessible to the Internet.
Due to the low cost of these computers, they were available to every common man.
Examples
Desktops, Laptops, Workstations, Tablets, and Smartphones, are examples of the fourth generation of
computers.
Good to Know~ Alan Turing is the father of modern computers born in England in 1912.
5th Generation of Computer (2010-At Present)
Artificial intelligence is the name of the fifth as well as the latest generation of computers based
on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology is the process of integrating or embedding millions of
transistors on a single silicon microchip.
