Generations of computer

First generation =1940-1956: vacuum tubes

First computer used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory. It was very expensive to operate and used great deal of electricity to generated heat,and often cause malfunctions.It relied on machine language to operation and only solve one problem at a time.

Example : UNIVAC and ENIAC

Second generation =1956-1963: transistor

Transistor was far superior than vacuum tube because computer become more smaller,faster,cheaper,more energy-efficient and more reliable.It was vast improvement than vacuum tube.Second generation computer change from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic or assembly.High-level programming language also developed around this generation such as COBOL and FORTRAN.It also the first computer that stored instruction in memory.

Third generation =1964-1971: integrated circuits

The hallmark of third generation computers is the integrated circuit.Transisitor miniaturized and place silicon chips that was semiconductors to increased the speed and efficiency of computer.

Users interacted with third generation computer through keyboards and monitor,also the operating system that allowed devices to run many different application at one time.It also the first computer accessible to a mass audience because it was smaller and cheaper.

Fourth generation =1971-present: microprocessors

Fourth genration of computer was microprocessor.A thousand of integrated circuits built onto a single silicon chips.The intel 4004 chip was developed in 1971 to located all the components of computer from the central processing unit and memory to input/output control on single chip.

IN 1981,IBM introduces it first computer for home user.1984,Apple introduced Macintosh.Microprocessor also moved out into many areas of life as more evryday products began use microprocessors.

This small computer became more powerful bacause it linked together to form network and lead to GUIs development such as the mouse and handheld devices.

Fifth generation =present and beyond: artificial intelligence

This computing devices based on artificial intelligence.The use of parallel processing and superconductors helped to make artificial intelligence reality.Quantom computation,molecular and nanotechnology radically change face of computer to year come.To develop devices that can respond to natural language input and capable of learning and self-organization is the goal for fifth generation computing. (1)



THE COMPUTER INVENTOR (1936-PRESENT)

1936 =Konrad Zuse - Z1 Computer
1942 =John Atanasoff & Clifford Berry - ABC Computer
1944 =Howard Aiken & Grace Hopper - Harvard Mark I Computer
1946 =John Presper Eckert & John W.Mauchly - ENIAC 1 Computer
1948 =Frederic Williams & Tom Kilburn - Manchester Baby Computer & The Williams Tube
1947/48 =John Bardeen,Walter Brattain & William Shockley - The Transistor
1951 =John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly - UNIVAC Computer
1953 =International Business Machines - IBM 701 EDPM Computer
1954 =John Backus & IBM - FORTRAN Computer Progamming Language
1955 =Stanford Research Institute,Bank of America,and General Electric - ERMA and MICR
1958 =Jack Kilby & Robert Noyce - The Integrated Circuit
1962 =Steve Russell & MIT - Spacewar Computer Game
1964 =Douglas Engelbart - Computer Mouse & Windows
1969 =ARPAnet
1970 =Intel 1103 Computer Memory
1971 =Faggin,Hoff & Mazor - Intel 4004 Computer Microprocessor
1971 =Alan Shugart & IBM - The 'floppy' Disk
1973 =Robert Metcalfe & Xerox - The Ethernet Computer Networking
1974/75 =Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 Computers
1976/77 =Apple I,II &TRS-80 & Commodore Pet Computers
1978 =Dan Bricklin & Bob Frankston - VisiCalc Spreadsheet Software
1979 =Seymour Rubenstein & Rob Barnaby - WordStar Software
1981 =IBM - The IBM PC-Home Computer
1981 =Microsoft - MS-DOS Computer Operating System
1983 =Apple Lisa Computer
1984 =Apple Macintosh Computer
1985/present =Microsoft Windows (2)

Reference :(1) http ://html.rincodelvago.com/history-of-computer.html

(2) http ://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm