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The Five Generations of Computers

1. The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.

2. The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions. First generation computers (1940-1956) relied on machine language to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printors.

3. In 1944 in the United States, International Business Machines (IBM) built a machine in cooperation with scientists working at Harvard University under the direction of Prof. Aiken. The machine, called Mark I AUTOMATIC Sequence-Controlled Calculator, was built to perform calculations for the Manhattan Project, which led to the development of automatic bomb. It was the largest electromechanical calculator ever built. It used over 3000 electrically actuated switches to control its operations. Although its operations were not controlled electronically. Aiken’s machine is often classified as a computer because its instructions, which were entered by means of a punched paper tape, could be altered. The computer could create ballistic tables used by naval artillery.

4. The relay computer had its problems. Since relays are electromechanical devices, the switching contacts operate by means of electromagnets and springs. They are slow, very noisy and consume a lot of power._____

5. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers (1956-1963). The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

6. The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers (1964-1971). Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers. Instead of punched cards and printers, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced 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.

7. The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers (1971 –Present), as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet.

8. Fifth generation computing device, based on artificial intelligence are still in development, though 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. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

Notes:

circuitry — схема

magnetic drums — магнітні цимбали

vacuum tube — вакуумна лампа

reliable — надійний

integrated circuit — інтегральна схема

accessible — доступний

artificial — штучний

intelligence — інтелект, розум

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