Computer Generation

Depending on the device, technology, system, architecture, processing mode, languages used and processing speed, the computers are categorized in the five generation. The development of different types of memory devices has given a sequence of development of computers from mainframe to microcomputers. In the development of computer there is lot of change from 1946 to 1990. This time is divided in different generations by scientists in a conference in 1962.

1. First generation (1946-1958)

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The first generation computer used vacuum tubes as the major storage element, They also consisted mercury delay line for storage such first generation computer are EDSAC ( Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator). It was very expensive, large and they generated a lot of heat and special housing. The magnetic drum was the storage medium of these computers.

2. Second generation (1959-1964)

The invention of semiconductor transistor had make big revolution in the field of computer . The transistor replaced the Vacuum tube. The transistor could do the work of 1000 vacuum tubes. Second generation computers are smaller in size. They are more reliable and faster than the first generation computers. Assembly language w3as used for programming in second- generation computers.

3. Third generation (1965-1974)

By the development of a small chip consisting of capacity of the 300 transistors called integrated chip (IC). The computers, using ICs are of the Third Generations. They were smaller in size and had higher efficiency in speed and memory capacity. Very soon Ics were replaced by LSI ( Large Scale Integration), which consisted about 100 components. An IC containing about 100 components is called LSI.

4. Fourth Generation of computer (1975-1990-

The fourth generation computers used large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) and very large – scale integrated circuit (VLSI) most commonly known as microprocessors. The first microprocessor INTEL-4004 was produced in 1971 and used in this generation computers. Computers of the present age are included in fourth generation computers.

5. Fifth generation of computers (1991- Present)

The fifth generation computers are under development stage. These computers are being made using microprocessor and will  used USLI (Ultra large scale Integration) chips (Bio chips ) in the future. Such computers will used intelligent programming and improved human-machine interfaces. It is estimated that these computers of fifth generation will have an artificial intelligence with a little thinking capacity and they will understand the natural languages like English, Japanese