The document summarizes first generation computers from the 1940s. These early computers used vacuum tubes, magnetic drums for memory, and punch cards for input. Notable first generation computers included ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer; EDVAC, one of the earliest stored-program computers; UNIVAC, an early commercial computer; IBM 701 and IBM 650, early scientific and commercial computers. First generation computers had limitations like low operating speeds, high power consumption, large size, and low programming and storage capabilities compared to modern computers.

1. Group ‘A’

2. 0 Generation of computers
 The concept is of using a calculating device, called PASCALINE
invented by Pascal to calculate faster and to keep the RECORD.
 LEBINIZ WHEEL: comes right after PASCALINE device. It is a
device used for the subtraction, multiplications, adding, division.
 The Analytical Engine was a proposed mechanical general-
purpose computer designed by English mathematician and
computer pioneer Charles Babbage. It was first described in 1837
as the successor to Babbage's difference engine, a design for a
simpler mechanical computer.

4. Introduction
Generally, the computers that are build around the
world war II era are considered first generation
computers. These are considered as the first computer
are extremely different from the computers which we use
today, because the first generation computers are
extremely difficult to operate, they were designed for
specific tasks and never made to the general market like
supercomputer these days. These computers
Relied on VACCUM TUBES and MAGNETIC DRUMS

5. Hardware technology
 Vaccum tubes were used.
 Electromagnetic relay memory are used as primary
memory.
 Punch cards were used as primary memory

6. What are vaccum tubes?
 A sealed glass tube containing a near-vaccum that allow the free passage
of electric current
 The vacuum tube was developed by Lee DeForest. It is a device
generally used to amplify a signal by controlling the movement of
electrons in an evacuated space.

7. Magnetic drums
 A magnetic drum, also referred to as drum, is a metal cylinder coated
with magnetic iron-oxide material on which data and programs can be
stored. Magnetic drums were used as a primary storage device.

8. Software technology
 Machine and assembly language were used.
 Stored programming concept introduced.
 The instructions were written in machine language. Machine
language uses 0s and 1s for coding of the instructions. The first
generation computers could solve one problem at a time.

9. Input and output devices
 Early computers had no input devices or any kind of software that we
use these days. They were “hard wired” to perform specific
mathematical calculations. A computers functions can only be changes
by re- wiring its circuit.
 By the time the UNIVAC appeared in 1951, a control on the front of the
computer allowed simple input a through a series of toggle, switches and
buttons. The toggle were used to input the first computer program in
binary numbers.

10. Limitations
 The operating speed was very low.
 Power consumption was very high.
 They required large space for installation.
 The Programming capability was quite low.
 Quit larger, they generate lot of heat require special housing.
The main limitation was small memories, due to high cost per bit.
In 1950, one bit of delay line or magnetic drum memory cost
roughly $10; in 1955, one bit of magnetic core memory cost
roughly $2; in 1960 (2nd generation), one bit of magnetic core
memory cost roughly 25 cents; today, one bit of DRAM costs
roughly one picocent (one billionth of a penny).

11. Advantages
 Vacuum tube technology made possible to make electronic digital
computers.
 Easily available and inexpensive.
 Tactile sensitivity is preserved.
 Color-coded for easier and faster identification of readings
 Vacuum tubes were the only electronic component available during
those days.

12. Some first generation computers
 ENIAC
 EDVAC
 UNIVAC
 IBM-701
 IBM 650

13. ENIAC
 ENIAC, in full Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer,
the first programmable general-purpose electronic digital computer.
 Like Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine (from the 19th century)
and the British World War II computer Colossus, it had conditional
branching—that is, it had the ability to execute different
instructions or to alter the order of execution of instructions based
on the value of some data.
 ENIAC was enormous. It occupied the 50-by-30-foot (15-by-9-
metre) basement of the Moore School, where its 40 panels were
arranged, U-shaped, along three walls. Each of the units was about
2 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 8 feet high (0.6 metre by 0.6 metre by
2.4 metres). With approximately 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000
resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches, and 1,500 relays.

15. EDVAC
 EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer) was
one of the earliest electronic computers. Unlike its predecessor
the ENIAC, it was binary rather than decimal, and was designed to
be a stored-program computer.
 Functionally, EDVAC was a binary serial computer with automatic
addition, subtraction, multiplication, programmed division and
automatic checking with an ultrasonic serial memory capacity of
1,000 34-bit words. EDVAC's average addition time was
864 microseconds and its average multiplication time was 2,900
microseconds.

17. UNIVAC
 The Universal Automatic Computer or UNIVAC was a computer
milestone achieved by Dr. Presper Eckert and Dr. John Mauchly, the
team that invented the ENIAC computer.
 Input consisted of magnetic tape with a speed of 12,800 characters per
second with a read-in speed of 100 inches per second, records at 20
characters per inch, records at 50 characters per inch, card to tape
converter 240 cards per minute, 80 column punched card input 120
characters per inch, and punched paper tape to magnetic tape converter
200 characters a second.
 Output media/speed was magnetic tape/12,800 characters per second,
uni printer/10-11 characters per second, high-speed printer/600 lines per
minute, tape to card converter/120 cards per minute, Rad Lab buffer
storage/Hg 3,500 microsecond, or 60 words per minute.

19. IBM- 701
 IBM's first computer. Introduced in 1952, the 701 was designed for
scientific work and research, which later led to the development of the
high-level FORTRAN language. Nineteen machines were built, a record
volume for such a machine in that era. Its internal memory contained
2,048 36-bit words of electrostatic memory and 8,192 words of
magnetic drum memory (see early memories). It used magnetic tapes for
storage and was one of the first machines to use plastic-based tapes
instead of metal tapes. See IBM 650 and IBM 1401.

21. IBM-650
 IBM's first successful, commercial computer. Introduced in 1954, it read
data from punch cards and magnetic tapes. By the end of the 1950s,
there were more than 1,500 units installed, making it the most widely
used computer in the world. The 650 added high-speed computational
ability to the punch card data processing that was the norm in every
large enterprise in those days.The 650 used a fixed-head magnetic drum
that rotated at 12,500 RPM for its internal memory from 1,000 to 2,000
10-digit words. Magnetic disks, which IBM pioneered on its 305
RAMAC, were made available to the 650 in 1956. See IBM 701, IBM
1401 and System/360.

23. Needs at that time
 More reliability
 Better portability
 Less heat generation
 Small size
 Faster computer

24. Advantages of Transistors over Vaccum tube
S. NO. TRANSISTORS VACCUM TUBES
1 Lower power consumption, less
wastage of heat.
Power consumption is high and
heat wastage is comparatively high.
2 Size is so small as compared to
vacuum tubes.
Large size than transistor
3 Low cost High cost
4 Easily portable device. Less suitable for portable products.
5 It requires a lower power supply,
suitable for smaller voltage
devices.
It requires the high voltage power
supply, not suitable for smaller
voltage devices.
6 Physical strength is high. There is glass tube in a vacuum
tube so not that much physical
strength.
7 High voltage gain Low voltage gain

25. They used vaccum tubes They use parellel processing and
super conductor
They used low level
programming
High level language is used.
Limited storage Large storage
Errors and slow calculations Fast calculation and almost no
error
No multitasking Multitasking
No video gaming Video gaming industry took birth