GENERATIONS OF

COMPUTERS
S U B M I T T E D TO : - D R . S U P R E E T K A U R S A H I
SUBMITTED BY :-MANMEET KAUR
R O L L N O. : - 0 0 6 9 0 2 0 2 0 2 1
BCA-1B
INDEX
• Introduction
• Different Generations Of Computer
• First Generation Of Computer
• Second Generation Of Computer
• Third Generation Of Computer
• Fourth Generation Of Computer
• Fifth Generation Of Computer
• T h a n k Yo u
 INTRODUCTION
The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the
different generations of computing devices. Each generation of computer is
characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed
the way computers Operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more
powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.
DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER

There are Five Generations Of computers:

1.First Generation(1940-1955)
2. Second Generation (1956-1965)
3. Third Generation(1966-1975)
4. Fourth Generation(1976-1985)
5.Fifth Generation (1986-onward)
 FIRST GENERATION - 1940-1955
• Vacuum Tubes were used for circuitry.
• Magnetic Drums for memory .
• Enormous in size, taking up entire
rooms.
• Very expensive.
• Consumed great deal of electricity.
• Generated a lot of heat which caused
malfunctions.
• Could solve one problem at a time.
• Input was based on punched cards.
• Output was displayed on printouts.
• Examples - UNIVAC and ENIAC
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

1. That was the only electronic during those old days. 1. It is not really a reliable device.

2. Those computers were very fast to calculate. 2. No portable

3. Vacuum tube technology made possible the advent 3. It is required to be air conditioned.
of electronic digital computers.
 SECOND GENERATION - 1956-1965
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes allowing
computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more
energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-
generation predecessors.
• Still relied on punched cards for input and printouts
for output.
• Second-generation computers moved from cryptic
binary machine language to symbolic, which allowed
programmers to specify instructions in words.
• High-level programming languages like COBOL and
FORTRAN were used.
• Examples – Honeywell 400 and IBM 7030.
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1. Smaller in size compared to the first generation of 1.Cooling system was required.
computer.
2. The second generations computers were more 2.Only used for specific purposes.
reliable.
3. Used less energy and were not heated as much as 3.Constant maintenance was required.
the first one.
4. Better speed and could calculate data in 4.Commercial production was difficult and costly.
microseconds.
THIRD GENERATION - 1966-1975
• Integrated circuit was used.
• Transistors were miniaturized and
placed on silicon chips called
semiconductors, which increased the
speed and efficiency of computers.
• Users were introduced to keyboards
and monitors and were interfaced
with an operating system, which
allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time .
• For the first time computers became
accessible to a mass audience because
they were smaller and cheaper than
their predecessors.
• Examples – IBM 360/370 and PDP - 8
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1.Smaller in size as compared to previous generations. 1. Air conditioning was required.
2.Better speed and could calculate data in 2.Highly sophisticated technology required for the
nanoseconds. manufacturing of IC chips.
3.Could be used for high-level languages. 3.Tactile sensitivity is decreased
4.Used mouse and keyboard for input.
FOURTH GENERATION – 1976-1985
• Microprocessor were introduced.
• They were a lot smaller and efficient than the
previous generations.
• In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the
home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the
Macintosh.
• As these small computers became more
powerful, they could be linked together to form
networks, which eventually led to the
development of the Internet.
• Fourth generation computers also saw the
development of GUIs, the mouse and Hand held
devices.
• Examples – APPLE II and TRS 80
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1.Fan for heat discharging and thus to keep cold. 1.The latest technology is required for manufacturing
of Microprocessors.
2. Fast processing power with less power
consumption.
3.No air conditioning required.
4.All types of High level languages can be used.
5.Cheapest among all generations.
FIFTH GENERATION – 1986-PRESENT
• Devices were based on artificial intelligence and
are still in development.
• Though there are some applications, such as
voice recognition, that are being used today.
• The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality.
• Quantum computation and molecular and
nanotechnology will radically change the face of
computers in years to come.
• The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond to natural
language input and are capable of learning and
self-organization.
• Example– IBM notebooks , Pentium PCs and
Workstations.
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1.It is easier to repair these computers. 1. They tend to be sophisticated and complex tools.
2.They can give more power to companies to watch
2.They are portable and easy to handle. what you are doing and even allow them to infect
your computer.
3.Development of true artificial intelligence.
4.Advancement in Parallel Processing.
5. Incredibly fast.