Generations

of the Computer

First Generation1946 - 1959

First Generation (1946 – 1959)

• Key Component – Vacuum Tubes• Very large and bulky• No memory• Programmed in Machine Language• Very expensive to run• Used great amounts of power• In constant repair• Not reliable• Input – Punch cards

Vacuum Tubes• Vacuum tubes are sealed glass used in

electronic circuitry to control the electrons sealed inside the tubes.

• They are used for: the amplification of weak currents, rectification of an altering current to direct current (AC to DC), generating of oscillating radio-frequency power for radio, radar, and more.

• Some of the earliest forms of a vacuum tube were recorded in the late 17th century but it wasn’t until 1850 when they created sophisticated versions of vacuum tubes.

• Some of the first computers were made out of vacuum tubes. (1946)

Second Generation1959 - 1965

Second Generation (1959 – 1965)

• Key Component – Transistors• Getting smaller & faster• Built for “Specific” purposes• Has memory• Magnetic tape replaces Punch cards• High-level computer languages (people-oriented such as

BASIC & COBOL)• First commercial computers• Can only do 1 program at time

Transistor Created by Julius Edgar

Lilienfeld. The transistor is a

semiconductor used to amplify a switches electronic signals.

Transistors are made with a semiconductor material with at least three terminals.

They can be built very compact, more than 1,000,000 per square centimeter on a silicon chip.

Replaced vacuum tubes.

Patented-1925 Used on the telephone-1947 Used on computers late 1950’s

through 1960’s.

Transistors are what we use to make the computer code of 1’s and 0’s much faster. They can be switched on and off very rapidly by switching every 0.000000001 Seconds.

By:Chris Woof

Third Generation1965 - 1971

Third Generation (1965 – 1971)

• Key Component – Integrated or Etched Circuitry

• Mini-computers

• Operating speeds measured in billionth of a second

• Multi-processing

• Keyboards

• ‘Computer Literacy’ begins

Fourth Generation1971 -

Fourth Generation (1971 - )

• Key Component – Microprocessors (Micro Chips)

• Micro-computers (Personal computers)

• Can be mass-produced

• Data communication networks (Internet)

Microprocessor

• The microprocessor is also known as the CPU (or the brain of the computer).

• It is connected to the circuit board.