Defination of Computer & Their Generation In Advanced Details of Advantage, Disadvantage, Examples

What is Computer?

A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as input and processes it with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the result as output. It renders output just after performing mathematical and logical operations and can save the output for future use. It can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. Computer can not do anything without a Program. It represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. The Word ‘Computer’ usually refers to the Center Processor Unit plus Internal memory.

You may already know that you can use a computer to type documents, send email, play games, and browse the Web. You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos.

Who invented the computer?

Many people throughout history are credited with developing early  prototypes that led to the modern computer. During World War II, physicist John Mauchly, engineer J. Presper Eckert, Jr., and their colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania designed the first programmable general-purpose electronic digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).

 

What is the most powerful computer in the world?

As of November 2021 the most powerful computer in the world is the Japanese supercomputer Fugaku, developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu. It has been used to model COVID-19 simulations.

How do programming languages work?

Popular modern programming languages, such as JavaScript and Python, work through multiple forms of programming paradigms. Functional programming, which uses mathematical functions to give outputs based on data input, is one of the more common ways code is used to provide instructions for a computer.

Classification of generations of computers

The evolution of computer technology is often divided into five generations.

Five Generations of Computers
Generations of computers	Generations timeline	Evolving hardware
First generation	1940s-1950s	Vacuum tube based
Second generation	1950s-1960s	Transistor based
Third generation	1960s-1970s	Integrated circuit based
Fourth generation	1970s-1990s	Microprocessor based
Fifth generation	The present and the future	Artificial intelligence based

·         First Generation Computers (1946-1959)

The first generation of computers used vacuum tubes as a major piece of technology. Vacuum tubes were widely used in computers from 1940 through 1956. Vacuum tubes were larger components and resulted in first-generation computers being quite large in size, taking up a lot of space in a room. Some of the first-generation computers took up an entire room.

The main characteristics of first generation of computers

1.   Main electronic component – vacuum tube
2.   Main memory – magnetic drums and magnetic tapes
3.  Programming language – machine language
4. Power – consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of heat.
5. Speed and size – very slow and very large in size (often taking up entire room).
6. Input/output devices – punched cards and paper tape.
7. Quantity – there were about 100 different vacuum tube computers produced between 1942 and1963.

advantages of the First Generation Computers

1   Vacuum tubes were used in first-generation computers, and the generation helped introduce computer devices.

1. 2.     Due to the use of machine languages, computers of this generation were faster as early development.
2. 3.     Computers were able to perform calculations in milliseconds.  

Disadvantages of the First Generation Computers

1)    First-generation computers were very large and could also cover an entire room.

2)    Computers of this generation generated too much heat and required a large cooling system.

3)    Storage capacity in computers was very low in this generation.

Main first generation computers are:

·         ENIAC: The ENIAC is a great example of a first-generation computer. It consisted of nearly 20,000 vacuum tubes, 10,000 capacitors, and 70,000 resistors. It weighed over 30 tons and took up a lot of space, requiring a large room to house it.

• EDVAC: Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer was designed by von Neumann. It could store data also as instruction and thus the speed was enhanced.
• UNIVAC: Universal Automatic Computer was developed in 1952 by Eckert and Mauchly.

Second generation (1959 - 1965)

Second-generation computers used the technology of transistors rather than bulky vacuum tubes. Another feature was the core storage. A transistor may be a device composed of semiconductor material that amplifies a sign or opens or closes a circuit.

Transistors were invented in Bell Labs. The use of transistors made it possible to perform powerfully and with due speed. It reduced the dimensions and price and thankfully the warmth too, which was generated by vacuum tubes. Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, programming language and input, and output units also came into the force within the second  generation.

The main characteristics of second generation of computers.

1. Main electronic component – transistor
2. Memory – magnetic core and magnetic tape / disk
3.   Programming language – assembly language
4.  Power and size – low power consumption, generated less heat, and smaller in size (in comparison with the first generation computers).
5.  Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the first generation computers).
6. Input/output devices – punched cards and magnetic tape.

Advantages of the Second Generation Computers.

1. The transistor helped to make the second generation computer slightly smaller than the first generation computer.
2.  Due to magnetic core technology, computers of this generation could store instructions in memory.
3. Computers became faster, reliable, and were able to perform calculations in microseconds.

Disadvantages of the Second Generation Computers.

1. A cooling system was still needed in the second generation.
2. Second-generation computers required maintenance at regular intervals.
3. The cost of the computer was still high; however, less than the first generation computer.

Examples – IBM 1401, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107, etc.

The first computer to use transistors was the TX-0 and was introduced in 1956. Other computers that used transistors include the IBM 7070, Philco Transac S-1000, and RCA 501.

Third generation (1965 - 1971)

During the third generation, technology envisaged a shift from huge transistors to integrated circuits, also referred to as IC. Here a variety of transistors were placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors. The most feature of this era’s computer was the speed and reliability. IC was made from silicon and also called silicon chips.

A single IC, has many transistors, registers, and capacitors built on one thin slice of silicon. The value size was reduced and memory space and dealing efficiency were increased during this generation. Programming was now wiped out Higher level languages like BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). Minicomputers find their shape during this era.

The main characteristics of third generation of computers

1)       Main electronic component – integrated circuits (ICs)

2)       Memory – large magnetic core, magnetic tape / disk

3)       Programming language – high level language (FORTRAN, BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, C, etc.)

4)       Size – smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than second generation computers (they were called minicomputers).

5)       Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the second generation computers).

6)       Input / output devices – magnetic tape, keyboard, monitor, printer, etc

Advantages of the Third Generation Computers

1)      computers, making second-generation computers portable and available for  commercial use at relatively low prices.

2)      Computers were fast, reliable, and could perform calculations in nanoseconds. They also had more storage availability.

3)      Computers in the third generation produced less heat and became more energy efficient than the previous generation.

Disadvantages of the Third Generation Computers

1)      Third-generation computers also required a cooling system.

2)      Production and maintenance of integrated circuits were difficult at that time.

3)      The price of third-generation computers was still high for personal  needs

Examples – IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108, etc.

Fourth generation (1971-1990)

In 1972 First microprocessors were used, the large scale of integration LSI circuits built on one chip called microprocessors. The most advantage of this technology is that one microprocessor can contain all the circuits required to perform arithmetic, logic, and control functions on one chip.

The computers using microchips were called microcomputers. This generation provided the even smaller size of computers, with larger capacities. That’s not enough, then Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits replaced LSI circuits. The Intel 4004chip, developed in 1972, located all the components of the pc from the central processing unit and memory to input/ output controls on one chip and allowed the dimensions to reduce drastically.

Technologies like multiprocessing, multiprogramming, time-sharing, operating speed, and virtual memory made it a more user-friendly and customary device. The concept of private computers and computer networks came into being within the fourth generation.

The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers.

1)       Main electronic component – very large-scale integration (VLSI) and microprocessor.

2)       VLSI– thousands of transistors on a single microchip.

3)       Memory – semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM, etc.)

o    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).

o    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).

4)       Programming language – high level language (Python, C#, Java, JavaScript, Rust, Kotlin, etc.).

o    A mix of both third- and fourth-generation languages

5)       Size – smaller, cheaper and more efficient than third generation computers.

6)       Speed – improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in comparison with the third generation computers).

7)       Input / output devices – keyboard, pointing devices, optical scanning, monitor, printer, etc.

·         Network – a group of two or more computer systems linked together.

Advantages of the Fourth Generation Computers

1.       Due to the compact size, the computer became widely available for commercial and personal use. It also led to the revolutionary use of personal  computers (PCs).

2.       Fourth-generation computers were faster, smaller, reliable, more energy-efficient than their predecessors. Also, fourth-generation computers had more storage availability.

3.       The amount of heat in fourth-generation computers was greatly  reduced. The heat produced was almost negligible and hence the air conditioner  system was no longer needed.

Disadvantages of the Fourth Generation Computers

1.       The construction of VLSI circuits, and microprocessors, was complex and required highly sophisticated technology and advanced technical skills.

2.       A cooling fan was included in computers instead of an air conditioning system. These cooling fans made noises with intense use of computers.

3.       Fourth-generation computers still used integrated circuits and therefore high technical skills were required to construct and assemble these ICs.

Examples – IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh, etc.

Fifth Generation of Computers (1990-Present).

Fifth-generation computers are based on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology, AI (artificial intelligence) software, and parallel processing hardware. ULSI has revolutionized the development of microprocessors. Now, about ten million electronic devices can be assembled on a single microprocessor chip. On the other hand, AI is helping computers to react efficiently again natural languages.

The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers 

1)       Main electronic component: based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI) technology and parallel processing method.

o    ULSI – millions of transistors on a single microchip

o    Parallel processing method – use two or more microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously.

2)       Language – understand natural language (human language).

3)       Power – consume less power and generate less heat.

4)       Speed – remarkable improvement of speed, accuracy and reliability (in comparison with the fourth generation computers).

5)       Size – portable and small in size, and have a huge storage capacity.

6)       Input / output device – keyboard, monitor, mouse, trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech input (recognise voice / speech), light scanner, printer, etc.

Advantages of the Fifth Generation Computers

1)       Fifth-generation computers are available in different sizes and they can now fit on the palm as well.

2)       Computers have become so fast that they can handle multitasking easily. Also, if the data given by the user is correct, then fifth generation computers are almost 100% accurate in calculations.

3)       With the use of AI in the fifth generation, computers have become so smart that they can understand human language and recognize pictures of individuals and things. However, all these data are input on the computer or they do so with the help of the internet. They do not have the ability to think as human beings.

Disadvantages of the Fifth Generation Computers

1)  With advanced features and accuracy, computers have also replaced humans in various fields, increasing unemployment. They are also ruining humans' ability to think and learn.

2)  Due to the widespread use of computers in the fifth generation, the amount of wastage of computers and their parts is increasing significantly. It negatively affects the environment.

3)  Computers have also become a threat to personal use and businesses as there are various types of cybercrimes that can cause damage to personal details as well as financial losses.

Examples – Desktop, laptop, MacBook, Apple Siri, cortana,  etc.

Sixth generation (future generations)

As of 2021, most still consider us to be in the fifth generation as AI continues to be developed. One possible contender for a future sixth generation is the quantum computer. However, until quantum computing becomes more developed and widely used, it's still only a promising technology.