The document outlines the history and characteristics of the different generations of computers, starting from the first generation using vacuum tubes to the current fifth generation focused on artificial intelligence. It details significant technological advancements in each generation, such as the transition from transistors to microprocessors and the emergence of high-level programming languages. The document also hints at future developments that may lead to the sixth generation, potentially involving quantum computing and nanotechnology.

1. Computer Generations
Dr Anita Choudhary
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
anitach312@gmail.com

2. Generations of computers
• 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.

3. First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum
Tubes
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and
magnetic drums for memory, and were often
enormous, taking up entire rooms.
• First generation computers relied on machine language,
the lowest-level programming language understood by
computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve
one problem at a time.
• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and
output was displayed on printouts.
• 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.

4. • The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator Computer) and
UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) computers are
examples of first-generation computing devices.
• ENIAC was the first programmable general-purpose
electronic digital computer.
• ENIAC contained 18,000 vacuum tubes, 7,200 crystal diodes,
1,500 relays, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, and
approximately 5,000,000 hand-soldered joints.
First Generation (1940-1956) : ENIAC

5. ENIAC
• ENIAC used ten-position ring counters to store digits; each
digit required 36 vacuum tubes, 10 of which were the dual
triodes making up the flip-flops of the ring counter.
• Arithmetic was performed by "counting" pulses with the ring
counters and generating carry pulses if the counter "wrapped
around", the idea being to electronically emulate the operation
of the digit wheels of a mechanical adding machine.
ENIAC

6. First Generation (1940-1956) : UNIVAC
• The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a
business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
• Other examples of first-generation computers include
the EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator), IBM
701, and Manchester Mark 1.
UNIVAC

7. Second Generation (1956-1963)
Transistors
• The vacuum tubes was replaced by transistors in the second
generation of computers.
• The transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947
• Second-generation computers moved from Cryptic binary machine
language to symbolic, or assembly languages, which allowed
programmers to specify instructions in words.
• High-level programming languages were also being developed at this
time, such as early versions of ALGOL, COBOL and FORTRAN.
• These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in
their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core
technology.
• The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic
energy industry.

9. Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated
Circuits
• The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark
of the third generation of computers.
• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called
semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and
efficiency of computers.
• Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third
generation computers through keyboards and monitors and
interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device
to run many different applications at onetime with a central
program that monitored the memory.
• Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience
because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

10. • These generations of computers have a higher level of languages such
as Pascal PL/1, FORTON-II to V, COBOL, ALGOL-68, and
BASIC(Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was developed
during these periods.
• Examples are NCR 395(National Cash Register), IBM 360, 370 series,
B6500
IBM 360
Third Generation

11. Fourth Generation (1971-1990) Microprocessors
• 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.
• In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home
user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.

12. Fourth Generation
• 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 handheld devices.
• Examples are APPLE II, Alter 8800
APPLE II Alter 8800

13. Fifth Generation (1990 to present) Artificial Intelligence
• Fifth generation computing devices, based on Artificial Intelligence,
are still in development, though there are some applications, such as
voice recognition, that are being used today.
• The use of parallel processing and super conductors is helping
to make artificial intelligence a reality.
• It introduced innovative, highly sophisticated concepts like AI and
machine learning (ML) and merged them with other digital
technologies like parallel processing, natural language
processing (NLP), etc.
• The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that
respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and
self-organization.

14. Fifth Generation
• One of the more well-known examples of AI in computers is
IBM's Watson, which was featured on the TV show Jeopardy as
a contestant. Other more recent examples
include ChatGPT and the introduction of and AI PCs.

15. Sixth generation (future generations)
• As of 2024, most still consider us to be in the fifth generation as AI
continues to develop. One possible contender for a future sixth
generation is the quantum computer. However, until quantum
computing becomes more developed and widely used, it is still only a
promising idea.
• Some people also consider nanotechnology to be part of the sixth
generation. Like quantum computing, nanotechnology is largely still
in its infancy and requires more development before becoming widely
used.
• With a new generation of computers it's also possible how we interact
with a computer may also change. New ways of how we may interact
with the next generation of computers include only using our voice,
AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), or MR (Mixed
Reality).

16. The main characteristics of first generation of computers
 Main electronic component – vacuum tube
 Main memory – magnetic drums and magnetic tapes
 Programming language – machine language
 Power – consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of
heat.
 Speed and size – very slow and very large in size (often
taking up entire room).
 Input/output devices – punched cards and paper tape.
 Examples – ENIAC, UNIVAC1, IBM 650, IBM 701, etc.
 Quantity – there were about 100 different vacuum tube
computers produced between 1942 and1963.

17. The main characteristics of second generation of computers
 Main electronic component – transistor
 Memory – magnetic core and magnetic tape / disk
 Programming language – assembly language
 Power and size – low power consumption, generated less
heat, and smaller in size (in comparison with the first
generation computers).
 Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison
with the first generation computers).
 Input/output devices – punched cards and magnetic tape.
 Examples – IBM 1401, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107,
etc.

18. The main characteristics of third generation of computers
 Main electronic component – integrated circuits (ICs)
 Memory – large magnetic core, magnetic tape / disk
 Programming language – high level language
(FORTRAN, BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, C, etc.)
 Size – smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than second
generation computers (they were called minicomputers).
 Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in
comparison with the second generation computers).
 Input / output devices – magnetic tape, keyboard,
monitor, printer, etc.
 Examples – IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108,
etc.

19. The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers
 Main electronic component – very large-scale integration
(VLSI) and microprocessor.
 VLSI– thousands of transistors on a single microchip.
 Memory – semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM, etc.)
 RAM (random-access memory) – a type of data storage
(memory element) used in computers that temporary stores of
programs and data (volatile: its contents are lost when the
computer is turned off).
 ROM (read-only memory) – a type of data storage used in
computers that permanently stores data and programs (non-
volatile: its contents are retained even when the computer is
turned off).

20. The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers
 Programming language – high level language (Python, C#,
Java, JavaScript, Rust, Kotlin, etc.). A mix of both third-
and fourth-generation languages
 Size – smaller, cheaper and more efficient than third
generation computers.
 Speed – improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in
comparison with the third generation computers).
 Input / output devices – keyboard, pointing devices, optical
scanning, monitor, printer, etc.
 Network – a group of two or more computer systems linked
together.
 Examples – IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh,
etc.

21. The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers
 Main electronic component: based on artificial intelligence,
uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI) technology and
parallel processing method.
 ULSI – millions of transistors on a single microchip
 Parallel processing method – use two or more
microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously.
 Language – understand natural language (human language).
 Power – consume less power and generate less heat.
 Speed – remarkable improvement of speed, accuracy and
reliability (in comparison with the fourth generation
computers).

22. The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers (Contd.)
 Size – portable and small in size, and have a huge storage
capacity.
 Input / output device – keyboard, monitor, mouse, trackpad
(or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognise
voice / speech), light scanner, printer, etc.
 Example – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

23. Thank You