Generations of Computer

First generation computers (1945 — 1955)

Features/Characteristics:

1. It was very bulky
2. It was costly
3. It uses vacuum tubes as the basis for budding the logic part of computer.
4. Its performance was very low.
5. The circuit consists of wires and thermionic valves,
6. Magnetic drum is used for primary storage of data.
7. It uses machine language.
   Examples of First generation are: (a) EDSAC (b) EDVAC (c) ACE (d) UNIVAC (e) IBM 700 series.

Second Generation Computers

Features/Characteristics:

1. Transistor, diodes and printed circuitry board replace the wire and thermionic valve of the first generation.
2. Human language and multiprogramming were used.
3. Modular blocks concept, which permit systems to be expanded, were introduced.
4. There is real time and time-sharing capability.
5. It has larger instruction sets.
6. It has larger internal memories.
7. It is faster compared to first generation computer.
8. Magnetic core and tape of magnetic core were used for main memory, while magnetic tape storage was used for storing file.

Third generation computers (1964-1969)

features/Characteristics:

1. Integrated circuits were introduced.
2. There is an improved level of programming language.
3. There is microprogramming.
4. There is an extension of building block concepts and multiprogramming.
5. They are less sensitive and more reliable.
6. They can be linked via the network
7. They use high level language like the COBOL, PASCAL and BASIC
   Examples of third generation are IBM 360 and ICLI 900.

Fourth generation computers

Features/Characteristics

1. They are improved form of third generation.
2. They make use of the integrated circuit called the large — scale integrated circuit (LSI)
3. The LSI was later moved to very -integrated circuit (VLSI) and ultra integrated circuit (ULSI).
4. They have faster memories.
5. They have bigger storage facilities.
6. They use interface friendly facilities.
7. Results are accurate.
8. Operations are automatic.

Fifth Generation Computers:

The architecture of the fifth generation is called Non-Von-Neumann.

Feature/Characteristics

1. Large memory
2. High parallel processing
3. Text editing
4. Image processing and reasoning
5. It is expected to a system of information called artificial intelligence (AI) which is called knowledge information processing system (KIPS).