5 generation of computer

 

First Generation: Vacuum Tubes (1940–1956)

The first generation of computer   systems used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for main memory, and they were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. These computers were very  expensive to operate, and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the first computers generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions. The maximum internal storage capacity was 20,000 characters. 

Second Generation: Transistors (1956–1963)

The world would see transistors replace vacuum tubes in the second generation of computer. The transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. This generation of computers also included hardware advances like magnetic core memory, magnetic tape, and the magnetic disk.

Third Generation: Integrated Circuits (1964–1971)

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 would interact with a third-generation computer through keyboards, monitors, and interfaces with an operating system,  which allowed the device to run many different applications  at one time 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.

Fourth Generation: Microprocessors (1971–Present)

The microprocessor   ushered in the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. The technology in the first generation that filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, integrated 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 personal computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple  introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers,  and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use the microprocessor chip 

Fifth Generation: Artificial Intelligence (Present and Beyond)

The fifth generation of computer technology, based on artificial intelligence, is still in development. However, 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. This is also so far the prime generation for packing a large amount of storage into a compact and portable device.

 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 will respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

GENERATION OF COMPUTERS 1ST TO 5th
1st generation	1940-1956
2nd generation	1959-1963
3rd generation	1964-1971
4th generation	1971-1980
5th generation	1980 present