Classification of Computer Depending upon Technology

Generations of Computers:-

A generation of computer starts with use of newer technology available to build computers. The technologies used in computers change many time in past. computers have travel very long journey to reach the recent state. It is the name of advancement from vacuum tube to microprocessor.

First Generation of Computer(1945-1959)

The first generation of computer start with use of vacuum tubes and capacitors as electronic components. These machines were very large in size. The machines produce eminence amount of heat. These were very slow and need special operators. ENIAC, ADVAC, EDSAC fall under this class of computers.

Second Generation of Computers(1959-1965)

The second generation of computers start with invention of transistor in 1947. But first computer were produce in 1956-1959 using transistor. The use of transistor make computer smaller and reliable. UNIVAC-III and IBM-7070 fall under this category.

Third Generation of Computers(1966-1971)

The third generation of computer starts with the use of Integrated Circuit (IC) in 1966. An IC is composed of hundreds of thousand of electronics components packed together. These computer were very small in size. These computers use disks to store data. These computers were less expensive then previous versions of computer. The concept of operating system was introduced in third generation computers.

Fourth Generation of Computers(1971-Present)

This generation of computers starts with use of very large scale integrated Circuits in 1971. These computers were very cheap and a single user can purchase this machine. Now computers were produced in bulk quantity. Application software were introduced in fourth generation. Now a days computers are so advance and developed that user can do an thing on computer.

Fifth Generation of Computers(Future):-

The Fourth generation of computer is still in use, but the architecture of today's Micro processor has reached its limits. Now it is very hard to increase the speed of computer using these processors. Scientist today are working on the processing technology of the future. The modern computers will use quantum computing or light beam technology. The future processors will work at speed of electrons or other technology will make them as faster as light beam.

The second thing to be used in computers is artificial intelligence. The modern computers will not only too fast but they will be able to think like human.