There are five generations of computers, classified according to their components or technology used: vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, microprocessors, and artificial intelligence.
A generation of computers is a period in which a group of devices with similar technology, features, and capabilities are released to the market, even if they are from different manufacturers. When a device is created that outperforms the rest due to its components or technology, then a new generation begins.
For example, when the first computers with microprocessors appeared, which are the ones we use today, they displaced those that were made up of integrated circuits and that were much larger, heavier, and slower. This change meant the arrival of a new generation of computers.
Period
Component/
core technology
Programming language Characteristics Examples First generation 1940-1956 Vacuum tubes Machine language Large size High energy consumption Data entry with punched cards. Univac
Second generation
1956-1963
Transistors Assembly language Data entry with punched cards.
PDP-1
Third generation
1964-1971
Integrated circuits
COBOL FORTAN Pascal C Basic Incorporation of operating systems. Data entry by peripheral devices.
UNIVAC 1108
Fourth generation
1971-present
JavaScript Python Java C# Kotlin Portable Microprocessors. RAM and ROM memory. Data entry by peripheral devices.
Fifth generation
present-future
Artificial intelligence. Quantum computing. Nanotechnology. High level language Natural language Portable. Light. Higher speed. Greater memory. Natural language recognition. Face and voice recognition. Laptops Smartphones Quantum computers
First generation: vacuum tubes
Glenn Research Center computer, belonging to NASA, 1949
Between 1940 and 1956 the first computers appeared that gave rise to the devices we know today. At that time, it was about devices made up of large vacuum tubes that occupied entire rooms.
A vacuum tube is a bulb-shaped electronic component, which is responsible for amplifying or modifying an electrical signal. This device was key to the development of telecommunications and computing and, in fact, it is still used today in devices such as microwave ovens or radio frequency transmitters.
The first generation computers could only perform one operation at a time and used a lot of electrical power. They were programmed in machine language, which is a low-level programming language, and data input and output was done with punch cards.
An example of first generation computers It is the Univac, developed for the United States Census Bureau in 1951.
See also Types of computers
Second generation: transistors
NASA wind tunnel control center computer, 1956
From 1956 to 1963, the second generation of computers that came with the invention of transistors remained in force. This meant the replacement of vacuum tubes and an important advance in the world of computing. A transistor is a device that serves as a regulator of electrical current, which allowed the creation of more efficient computers in energy terms.
Second-generation computers differed not only in their technology and smaller size, but also in the change in programming language, which became assembly language. This language is basic and not portable, that is, it could not be used on another computer, but it consumes fewer resources than its predecessor.
These computers were still using punch cards to input data.
An example of a second generation computer It is the PDP-1, a device developed in 1960 for scientific research purposes and where the first video game in history, Spacewar, was played.
Third generation: integrated circuits
integrated circuit computer
From 1964 to 1971 the market was dominated by the third generation of computers, characterized by the incorporation of integrated circuits that replaced transistors. An integrated circuit is a chip made of silicon that has different components that form a kind of miniature circuit.
In this type of computer, the input and output data were managed through peripheral devices such as the monitor, the keyboard or the printer. In addition, the use of operating systems, which are a type of software that allows the execution of multiple instructions simultaneously, became widespread.
From this generation, high-level programming languages began to be used on a massive scale, such as COBOL, FORTAN, Pascal, etc. These kinds of languages differ from low-level languages in that they are much closer to natural language (used by humans) than to machine language (binary code). In addition, they are portable, so they can be used on other devices.
An example of third generation computers it was the UNIVAC 1108, an update of the first generation UNIVAC created in the 1950s.
See also Types of software
Fourth generation: microprocessors
Apple Machintosh, 1984
Starting in 1971, computers stopped working with integrated circuits and began to incorporate microprocessors. A microprocessor is an integrated circuit but much more complex, capable of managing all the functions of a computer. That is why it is also known as the Central Processing Unit or CPU.
The fourth generation of computers was characterized by including two types of memory:
RAM: Stores program data temporarily, while the equipment is turned on.
ROM memory: Stores program data permanently.
These types of computers use high-level programming languages, such as JavaScript, Python or Java. The input and output of data is done through peripheral devices such as keyboard, scanner, monitor, CD’s, etc. In addition, its size and the decrease in production costs caused this type of computer to be sold massively.
An example of fourth generation computers it would be the Apple Macintosh and PCs.
See also Hardware and software
Fifth generation: artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nanotechnology
The fifth generation of computers is made up of all the devices already created or in the process of being created that incorporate technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing or nanotechnology.
Artificial intelligence would allow computers to recognize and learn human language autonomously, without user intervention. The incorporation of quantum technology would allow computers to work with huge amounts of data that are not yet possible to process. While nanotechnology favors the creation of increasingly smaller components and with greater storage capacity.
The fifth generation of computers is portable and is characterized by the fact that the input and output of data can not only be done from the hardware, but also from voice or facial recognition.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Japanese government attempted to develop its own “fifth generation computers,” based on artificial intelligence. However, the project failed.
An example of fifth generation computers They are smartphones, which have greater storage capacity and speed than a fourth-generation computer. In addition, they are small in size, have an Internet connection and recognize natural language and facial expressions.
See also: