The computer technology has developed rapidly over three generatiions to give us the present day computer.
These generations are briefly discussed below along with their prominent features in hardware and mode of operation.
• 1st Generation (1940s-1950s): The computer in this generation were very large in size and were operated on electronic valves.
They were slow in operation, expensive to acquire and maintain, hard limited size memory devices such as magnetic drums.
Examples include: ENIAC and UNIVAC1.
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• 2nd Generation (1950s-1960s): Computers in this generation operated on transistors instead of valves.
This resulted in improved performance, reduced cost of purchase and maintainance.
An Example of a second generation computer is Atlas.
• 3rd Generation (1960s-1980s): This generation was characterized by the use of intergrated circut
technology in the design of computer components. the production of computers in series (family of computer) also emerged within This production of computers include "ICL" 1900 series and "IBM technology.
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• 4th Generation (1970s-1980s): In this generation the intergrated circut technology was consolidated. the large scale and very large intergration (LSI & VLSI) came into use.
Personal Computers were (PCs)
also manufactured for the fist time and this helped to change the face of computing.
Powerful software were developed that made made the computer very powerful, the concept of networking (connecting computers together) Also become popular,
Examples: 180286 and 180386.
• 5th Generation (1980s-1990s): This is the generation to which the current sets of computers belong.
They are characterized by the use of microchip technology , low-cost memory and sophiscated Memory and sophiscated memory devices Such as CD-ROM The concept of networking Also become very popular leadingan international
Network (Internet). Computers are smaller in size Due to improved technology.
There are also recent developments in parallel Processing within the generation.
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Written by: Abubakar D. Bature