Does computers also has genesis? Yes! History of computers
mentioned above tell us that the computer in past was not alike the present
computers. With the technological advancements, computer regularly changed in
many aspects. Study of this advancement systematized as the generations of
computers. There are two opinions about the generations of computers. According
to one opinion there are four generations of computers whereas according to the
other opinion, there are five generations of computers.
Generation of computer distinguish by a major technological
advancement which introduce more efficient, more powerful, more reliable and
cheaper device with the fundamental change in the way computers operate.
Vacuum tubes were
used in the First Generation of computers for circuitry. Electrostatic tubes
(CRT) or mercury delay lines were used for memory. EDVAC is an example of first
generation computer. First generation computers used lot of electricity and
generated lot of heat. Machine language was mainly used for computer
programming at the time of first generation of computers.
First generation computers mainly used in science and
engineering field.
There were two major changes in technology in second
generation computers over the first generation computers. First change was the
use of magnetic drums instead of mercury lines, and the second remarkable
change was the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes. These transistors
were made of germanium semi-conductor. There were many advantages of using
transistors over vacuum tubes. Transistors were more reliable in comparison of
vacuum tubes. Transistors occupied less space, less power consumption, less
heat generation were few of the main advantages of using transistors in second
generation computers.
Mainly High level languages (HLL), i.e. FORTRAN, COBOL used
for programming in second generation computers.
The first computers of this generation were developed for
the atomic energy industry.
Around 1964-1965, there was a revolution in the era of
electronics and computers. Silicon chips or silicon transistors replaced the
germanium transistors of second generation in the third generation of
computers. Integrated circuits came in existence first time in third generation
computers in silicon chips. A single silicon chip contained many transistors,
capacitors and resistors. This not only eliminated the use of many components
separately, but also eliminated the need of wiring for connecting all the
components. Result of all this was dramatic reduction in the size of third generation
computers. Reliability of silicon chips were considerably high than that of the
germanium transistors. Speed of computers were also increased noticeably with
the less power consumption and less heat generation.
Also, there were some improvements in memory of third
generation computers. Capacity of main memory of computers increased. New
Input/Output devices were also introduced in third generation of computers.
Keyboard, Optical scanner, MICR, Monitor were available for common man with
third generation computers.
New High Level Languages like ForTran IV was developed.
Operating system software were introduced due to which it became possible to
use computer for many general purpose applications with the ability of
multitasking.
Fourth generation computers use microprocessor chips. More
capable transistors also came in existence which are called Very Large Scale
Integrated Circuits (VLSI). One VLSI can contain up to 10,000 transistors. It
reduced size of computers. Cost of fourth generation computers also came down
in comparison of third generation computers. It became possible to keep a
personal computer.
Main memory capacity reached to 100 MB which was
considerably high in comparison of third generation computers. Floppy disks and
magnetic tapes came in existence for secondary memory. Graphic applications and
graphic devices developed in fourth generation computers. Computer networking
also developed in fourth generation of computers.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user.
In 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.
Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial
intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications,
such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel
processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a
reality. Automatic programming, Control of Robots, Pattern recognition are
possible in fifth generation computers.
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