Computer Generations 1

© Educational Technology Department,
Group Head Office, The City School. 1

Generations of Computer
The computer has evolved from a large-sized simple

calculating machine to a smaller but much more
powerful machine.
The evolution of computer to the current state is

defined in terms of the generations of computer.
Each generation of computer is designed based on a

new technological development, resulting in better,
cheaper and smaller computers that are more
powerful, faster and efficient than their
predecessors.
Generations of Computer
Currently, there are five generations of

computer. In the following subsections, we
will discuss the generations of computer in
terms of the technology used by them
(hardware and software), computing
characteristics (speed, i.e., number of
instructions executed per second), physical
appearance, and their applications.

First Generation Computers
(1940-1956)
 The first computers used vacuum tubes(a sealed glass tube
containing a near-vacuum which allows the free passage of
electric current.) for
circuitry and magnetic drums for memory.
 They were often enormous and taking up entire room.
 First generation computers relied on machine language.
 They were very expensive to operate and in addition to
using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat,
which was often the cause of malfunctions(defect or
breakdown).
 The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-
generation computing devices.

First Generation
Computers
Advantages :
It was only electronic device
First device to hold memory
Disadvantages :
Too bulky i.e. large in size
Vacuum tubes burn frequently
They were producing heat
Maintenance problems

Second Generation
Computers
(1956-1963)
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and
ushered in the second generation of
computers.
• Second-generation computers moved from
cryptic binary machine language to symbolic.
• High-level programming languages were also
being developed at this time, such as early
versions of COBOL and FORTRAN.
• These were also the first computers that
stored their instructions in their memory.
Second Generation
Computers
Advantages :
Size reduced considerably
The very fast
Very much reliable
Disadvantages :
They over heated quickly
Maintenance problems
Third Generation Computers
(1964-1971)
The development of the integrated circuit was
the hallmark of the third generation of
computers.
Transistors were miniaturized and placed
on siliconchips, called semiconductors.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users
interacted with third generation computers
through keyboards and monitors and interfaced
with an operating system.
Allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time.
Third generation computers
Advantages :
ICs are very small in size
Improved performance
Production cost cheap
Disadvantages :
ICs are sophisticated

Fourth Generation
Computers
(1971-present)
The microprocessor brought the fourth
generation of computers, as thousands of
integrated circuits were built onto a single
silicon chip.
The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located
all the components of the computer.
From the central processing unit and memory to
input/output controls—on a single chip.
. Fourth generation computers also saw the
development of GUIs, the mouse and
handheld devices.
Fourth Generation
Computers

Fifth Generation Computers
(present and beyond)
Fifth generation computing devices, based
on artificial intelligence.
Are still in development, though there are
some applications, such as voice recognition.
The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality.
The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond to natural
language input and are capable of learning and
self-organization.
Fifth Generation
Computers

Activity: MY COMPUTER
Draw your own version of Computer 10
years from now.
Write the details or specifications your
computer.
Materials:
Long bond paper
Drawing materials


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© Educational Technology Department,

Group Head Office, The City School. 1

The computer has evolved from a large-sized simple

The evolution of computer to the current state is

Each generation of computer is designed based on a

Currently, there are five generations of

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

© Educational Technology Department,

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