Generation of Computer Top 5 Generation of Computer in Detail Information

The development of computer is often recorded in terms of the generations. These computer generation are :

• First generation (1942-1955)
• Second generation (1955-1964)
• Third generation (1965-1974)
• Fourth generation (1975-upto till now)
• Fifth generation (Present and beyond)

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1. First generation computers (Valve based) : 

The first computer was built during the world war 2 to help in cracking the coded messges of Nazi (German) forces. It was built by using valves (vaccum tubes). ENIAC and UNIVAC (Universal automatic computers)  were the commercially used first generation computers. They were built in 1946 and 1951 respectively. The first generation computers were of limited use because they were very bulky and consuming huge power. These computers were not supported by backup storage.

2. Second generation computers (Transistor based) : 

These computers came around 1960. In which valves are replaced by semiconductor devices called 'transistor'. They are lighter than first generation computers and their physical size are small. Their consumption was much less. IBM'S 146 was built in this era. The computers of this generation were backup supported.

3. Third generation computers (IC based) : 

In 1964, a very large scale integrated circuit (IC) technology. The computers under this technology were called 'The third generation computers' In this generation, a computer consist 10-100 circuit in a single chip. A most popular computer of this generation was IBM 360. Several programming languages were developed in this era.

4. Fourth generation computers (VLSI based) : 

In 1970, a very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI) of semiconductors were drawn. A number of very small transistor (about 1000) were embedded in a single chip. The whole computer circuit could be placed in a chip of the size of the thumbnail. This reduced the size of the computer tremendously. The machines used in these computer are the cheapest and most reliable ad compared to machines of first, second and third generation era. What we see today as Desktop and Laptop are based on VLSI technology.

5. Fifth generation computers (program based) : 

Today, the computers are program based and have 'Artificial Intelligence'. Super computers are devloped on 'Program based technology'. They have very high memory. They have a capability of self decision and work multitasks at a time.

Full Detail Generation of Computer : 

Credit - My Computer Course