The generation of Computer
Within the span of 40 years, we leap-frog through five generations of computer technology. The subsequent generations are defined here briefly.
First Generation Computer (1951-1958): The Age of Vacuum Tube
The vacuum tubes were used as the internal components for the first generation computer. The first generation of computers begun with the introduction of the first commercially viable electronic computer: the UNIVAC1. The short term for the Universal Automatic Computer. The UNIVAC1 was designed and patterned after the ENIAC(an acronym for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator).
Second Generation Computer (1959-1964) The Age of Transistor
The transistor were used as the internal components of the second generation computer. Transistors were much smaller, faster, and reliable than vacuum tubes. They consumed less electrical energy and needed no warm-up time.
Third Generation Computer (1965-1970): The age of Integrated Circuit (IC)
In 1965, integrated circuits began to replace transistors as the internal components used to construct the computer. Even the entire circuit board of transistors can be replaced completely with one chip (integrated circuit). This chip can be much smaller than one transistor. Integrated circuits are made of silicon chip. A silicon is a semiconductor crystalline substance that can conduct electric current.
Fourth Generation Computer (1971-Present): The age of Microprocessor
The fourth generation is just an extension of the third-generation technology. This next technological development is to put more power and capabilities in one chip called microprocessor. Microprocessor is considered as the brain of the computer. It is where almost all computations and operations of the computer circuitry are being done and coordinated. The applications of microprocessor technology is not limited to computers alone. It can be used and applied for digital watches,pocket calculator, copy machines, televisions sets,cars, audio and video appliances.
Fifth Generation(Onward): Information Superhighway
The Japanese coined the term fifth generation computer to describe their plan to build a powerful computer by mid-1990’s. Later the term evolved to encompass computer intelligence: artificial intelligence, natural language, and expert system. However, the fifth generation’s focus is more on connectivity. This is to permit computer users to connect their computers to other computers. Like the way that happened with the Internet today. Can the internet be the precursor of information superhighway. Let us wait and see what happens next.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Early Calculating Machines
Before computers came into existence, there were already calculating machines invented. If computers can be compared to lions and tigers, then these early machines are the dinosaurs. Like the dinosaurs, they were considered extinct. Their flesh and blood were long gone(as well as their) usefulness but their skeletons remained. Maybe to remind us, that they exist a long, long time ago and worth remembering as part of our past. Now let us travel back in time (with our time machine?).
In 1642, Blaise Pascal a French mathematician and philosopher invented an adding machine called “Pascaline”. His concept and design was used and adapted by all mechanical calculator inventors in early 20th century.
In 1830, Charles Babbage an English mathematician invented the “Difference Engine” that would solve certain equations. After the British government withdrew its financial support to his project, he later conceived the idea to invent the “Analytical Engine” which he hoped would perform many kinds of calculations. His idea embodied the five key features of our modern computer today which are input device, a place for storage, a processor a control unit and an output device. This invention earns him a title “Father of computer”. After Babbage’s death, his son was able to designed and construct the analytical engine based on his model. Charles Babbage has a colleague in his work with the analytical engine. Her name is Augusta Ada Byron, a gifted mathematician who helped him develop the instructions with Babbage and her publications Lovelace. Because of her close associations with Babbage and her publications of notes about his work, she was named “the first computer programmer”.
In 1890, Herman Hollerith devised a punched-card tabulating machine. His invention was used to tabulate the 1890 U.S. census. Six years later, he founded the tabulating machine company. Five years later, his company was merged with several companies and form the Computing-Tabulating Recording Company. Thomas J. Watson Sr. the company’s general manager changed its name to International Business Machine (IBM) in 1924. Today, IBM is still the world’s biggest and largest computer hardware company.
The revolution of computers
The revolution of computers
The development of the modern day computer was the result of advances in technologies and man's need to quantify. Papyrus helped early man to record language and numbers.
The abacus was one of the first counting machines. An arabic number system that is used for calculation. Some of the earlier mechanical counting machines lacked the technology to make the design work. For instance, some had parts made of wood prior to metal manipulation and manufacturing. Imagine the wear on wooden gears. But out of more human needs, abacus can no longer satisfy the new demand for highly complicated and repetitive tasks of calculations. This new demand had prompted the humans to invent more calculating tools. And to make it short, one of these is the computer. The following are the important landmarks of the computer revolution.
On the 1939 Konrad Zuse invented the series of computers named: Z1, Z2,Z3 and Z4. Where Z1 is, Z2 is and Z3 is lastly Z4 is after he invented he known as “inventor of the modern computer”. On the same year ABC was invented. ABC stands for Anatasoff-Berry Computer named from the great inventor by John Atanasoff &Clifford Berry. This computer was known as First electronic-digital computer.
The year 1940 Howard Aiken invented Mark 1 on 1944. This computer was known as first large-scale automatic digital computer in the USA. It is 55 feet long and 8 feet high. The 5-ton device contained almost 760,000 separate pieces. Used by the US Navy for gunnery and ballistic calculations. On the same year 1940 the first a calculating device for writing artillery-firing tables (the settings used for different weapons under varied conditions for target accuracy) is invented by John Mauchly & Presper Eckert named ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator). When the world war 2 was over they invented UNIVAC by Mauchly and Eckert. UNIVAC was known as first general-purpose commercial computer and was seen in the public when US census bureau in 1951. UNIVAC stand for UNIVersal Automatic Computer I and was considered as the first generation of computers that was built using vacuum tubes.
1948 at Bell laboratories three physicists invented Transistor that could perform and accomplish the same function like the vacuum tube. Transistors invented by J. Bardeen,H.W. Brattain and W. Shockely were first used to build computers in 1956 and that is the beginning of the computers in second generation.
In mid 1960’s transitor-based computers were replaced by smaller and more powerful third- generation computers built around the concept of integrated circuit (IC). Th IC is a technology that integrates hundreds of transistors in one single tiny similar chip.
In 11969, the first microprocessor(the brain of the computer) was first invented. This invented. This invention was considered the beginning of the fourth generation of computers.
In mid 1970’s Apple, Tandy and Commodore computer companies had introduced the first low-cost computers that are considered powerful as many of the room-sized computers in early 1950’s and 1960’s.
The development of the modern day computer was the result of advances in technologies and man's need to quantify. Papyrus helped early man to record language and numbers.
The abacus was one of the first counting machines. An arabic number system that is used for calculation. Some of the earlier mechanical counting machines lacked the technology to make the design work. For instance, some had parts made of wood prior to metal manipulation and manufacturing. Imagine the wear on wooden gears. But out of more human needs, abacus can no longer satisfy the new demand for highly complicated and repetitive tasks of calculations. This new demand had prompted the humans to invent more calculating tools. And to make it short, one of these is the computer. The following are the important landmarks of the computer revolution.
On the 1939 Konrad Zuse invented the series of computers named: Z1, Z2,Z3 and Z4. Where Z1 is, Z2 is and Z3 is lastly Z4 is after he invented he known as “inventor of the modern computer”. On the same year ABC was invented. ABC stands for Anatasoff-Berry Computer named from the great inventor by John Atanasoff &Clifford Berry. This computer was known as First electronic-digital computer.
The year 1940 Howard Aiken invented Mark 1 on 1944. This computer was known as first large-scale automatic digital computer in the USA. It is 55 feet long and 8 feet high. The 5-ton device contained almost 760,000 separate pieces. Used by the US Navy for gunnery and ballistic calculations. On the same year 1940 the first a calculating device for writing artillery-firing tables (the settings used for different weapons under varied conditions for target accuracy) is invented by John Mauchly & Presper Eckert named ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator). When the world war 2 was over they invented UNIVAC by Mauchly and Eckert. UNIVAC was known as first general-purpose commercial computer and was seen in the public when US census bureau in 1951. UNIVAC stand for UNIVersal Automatic Computer I and was considered as the first generation of computers that was built using vacuum tubes.
1948 at Bell laboratories three physicists invented Transistor that could perform and accomplish the same function like the vacuum tube. Transistors invented by J. Bardeen,H.W. Brattain and W. Shockely were first used to build computers in 1956 and that is the beginning of the computers in second generation.
In mid 1960’s transitor-based computers were replaced by smaller and more powerful third- generation computers built around the concept of integrated circuit (IC). Th IC is a technology that integrates hundreds of transistors in one single tiny similar chip.
In 11969, the first microprocessor(the brain of the computer) was first invented. This invented. This invention was considered the beginning of the fourth generation of computers.
In mid 1970’s Apple, Tandy and Commodore computer companies had introduced the first low-cost computers that are considered powerful as many of the room-sized computers in early 1950’s and 1960’s.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
