{"id":217,"date":"2020-11-27T14:43:41","date_gmt":"2020-11-27T19:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/computerstudies\/chapter\/classification-of-generations-of-computers\/"},"modified":"2022-07-25T14:46:44","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T18:46:44","slug":"classification-of-generations-of-computers","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/computerstudies\/chapter\/classification-of-generations-of-computers\/","title":{"raw":"Topic A: Computer generations","rendered":"Topic A: Computer generations"},"content":{"raw":"

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.<\/p>\r\nhttps:\/\/media.bccampus.ca\/id\/0_9kyr3j14?width=608&height=70&playerId=23449753\r\n

Basic Terms<\/h1>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"459\"]Vacuum tube[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 an electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum. It used as a switch, amplifier, or display screen in many older model radios, televisions, computers, etc.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"458\"]Transistor[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 an electronic component that can be used as an amplifier or as a switch. It is used to control the flow of electricity in radios, televisions, computers, etc.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"457\"]Integrated circuit (IC)[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 a small electronic circuit printed on a chip (usually made of silicon) that contains many its own circuit elements (e.g. transistors, diodes<\/a>, resistors, etc.).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"456\"]Microprocessor[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 an electronic component held on an integrated circuit that contains a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and other associated circuits.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"429\"]CPU (central processing unit)[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 It is often referred to as the brain or engine of a computer where most of the processing and operations take place (CPU is part of a microprocessor).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"455\"]Magnetic drum[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 a cylinder coated with magnetic material, on which data and programs can be stored.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"454\"]Magnetic core[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 uses arrays of small rings of magnetized material called cores to store information.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"453\"]Machine language[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 a low-level programming language comprised of a collection of binary digits (ones and zeros) that the computer can read and understand.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAssembly language is like the machine language that a computer can understand, except that assembly language uses abbreviated words (e.g. ADD, SUB, DIV\u2026) in place of numbers (0s and 1s).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"[pb_glossary id=\"452\"]Memory[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 a physical device that is used to store data, information and program in a computer.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"451\"]Artificial intelligence (AI)[\/pb_glossary] \u2013 an area of computer science that deals with the simulation and creation of intelligent machines or intelligent behave in computers (they think, learn, work, and react like humans).\r\n

First Generation of Computers<\/h1>\r\n

Classification of generations of computers<\/h2>\r\nThe evolution of computer technology is often divided into five generations.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Five Generations of Computers<\/caption>\r\n
Generations of computers<\/th>\r\nGenerations timeline<\/th>\r\nEvolving hardware<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
First generation<\/td>\r\n1940s-1950s<\/td>\r\nVacuum tube based<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Second generation<\/td>\r\n1950s-1960s<\/td>\r\nTransistor based<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Third generation<\/td>\r\n1960s-1970s<\/td>\r\nIntegrated circuit based<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Fourth generation<\/td>\r\n1970s-present<\/td>\r\nMicroprocessor based<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Fifth generation<\/td>\r\nThe present and the future<\/td>\r\nArtificial intelligence based<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

The main characteristics of first generation of computers (1940s-1950s)<\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Main electronic component \u2013 vacuum tube\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Main\u00a0memory\u00a0\u2013 magnetic drums and magnetic tapes<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Programming language \u2013 machine language<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Power \u2013 consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of heat.\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Speed and size \u2013 very slow and very large in size (often taking up entire room).<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Input\/output devices \u2013 punched cards and paper tape.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Examples \u2013 ENIAC, UNIVAC1, IBM 650, IBM 701, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Quantity \u2013 there were about 100 different vacuum tube computers produced between 1942 and1963.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Second Generation of Computers<\/h1>\r\n

    The main characteristics of second generation of computers (1950s-1960s)<\/h2>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • \r\n

      \"\"<\/h2>\r\nMain electronic component \u2013 transistor<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Memory \u2013 magnetic core and magnetic tape \/ disk<\/li>\r\n \t
    • \"\"Programming language \u2013 assembly language<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Power and size \u2013 low power consumption, generated less heat, and smaller in size (in comparison with the first generation computers).<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Speed \u2013 improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the first generation computers).<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Input\/output devices \u2013 punched cards and magnetic tape.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Examples \u2013<\/strong> IBM 1401, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      Third Generation of Computers<\/h1>\r\n

      The main characteristics of third generation of computers (1960s-1970s)<\/h2>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • \"\"Main electronic component\u00a0\u2013 integrated circuits (ICs)<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Memory\u00a0\u2013 large magnetic core, magnetic tape \/ disk<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Programming language \u2013 high level language (FORTRAN, BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, C, etc.)\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Size \u2013 smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than second generation computers (they were called minicomputers).<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Speed \u2013 improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the second generation computers).<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Input \/ output devices \u2013 magnetic tape, keyboard, monitor, printer, etc.\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Examples \u2013<\/strong> IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        Fourth Generation of Computers<\/h1>\r\n

        The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers (1970s-present)<\/h2>\r\n
          \r\n \t
        • \"\"Main electronic component\u00a0\u2013 very large-scale integration (VLSI) and microprocessor.<\/li>\r\n \t
        • VLSI\u2013 thousands of transistors on a single microchip.<\/li>\r\n \t
        • Memory\u00a0\u2013 semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM, etc.)\r\n
            \r\n \t
          • RAM (random-access memory) \u2013 a type of data storage (memory element) used in computers that temporary stores of programs and data (volatile: its contents are lost when the computer is turned off).<\/li>\r\n \t
          • \"\"ROM (read-only memory) \u2013 a type of data storage used in computers that permanently stores data and programs (non-volatile: its contents are retained even when the computer is turned off).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
          • Programming language \u2013 high level language (Python, C#, Java, JavaScript, Rust, Kotlin, etc.).\r\n
              \r\n \t
            • A mix of both third- and\u00a0fourth-generation\u00a0languages<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
            • Size \u2013 smaller, cheaper and more efficient than third generation computers.<\/li>\r\n \t
            • Speed \u2013 improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in comparison with the third generation computers).<\/li>\r\n \t
            • \"\"Input \/ output devices \u2013 keyboard, pointing devices, optical scanning, monitor, printer, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
                \r\n \t
              • Network \u2013 a group of two or more computer systems linked together.<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Examples \u2013 <\/strong>IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\"\"\r\n

                Fifth Generation of Computers<\/h1>\r\n

                The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers (the present and the future)<\/h2>\r\n
                  \r\n \t
                • \"\"Main electronic component: based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI) technology and parallel processing method.\r\n
                    \r\n \t
                  • ULSI<\/strong> \u2013 millions of transistors on a single microchip<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Parallel processing method<\/strong> \u2013 use two or more microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Language \u2013 understand natural language (human\u00a0language).<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Power \u2013 consume less power and generate less heat.<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Speed\u00a0\u2013 remarkable improvement of speed, accuracy and reliability (in comparison with the fourth generation computers).<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Size \u2013 portable and small in size, and have a huge storage capacity.<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • \"\"Input \/ output device \u2013 keyboard, monitor, mouse, trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognise voice \/ speech), light scanner, printer, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Example \u2013<\/strong> desktops,\u00a0laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\"Three\r\n\r\nThe computer \u2013 <\/strong>this amazing technology went from a government\/business-only technology to being everywhere from people\u2019s homes, work places, to people\u2019s pockets in less than 100 years.\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n\"\"","rendered":"

                    Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.<\/p>\n