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Generation One
The earliest computers used vacuum tubes as circuitry, and used magnetic drums for memory. These computers ended up taking up the space of entire rooms. They also over heated due to inefficient materials. Outputs were in the form of paper printout punch cards. The first commercial computer was bought in 1951 by the US census Bureau. -
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Generation Two
Although invented in 1947, transistors were not used significantly in computers until the end of the 1950's. Seen as a large improvement over vacuum tubes, transistors made computers smaller, faster, cheaper, and more energy efficient. They also used print out punch cards. These computers could take word instructions. -
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Generation Three
Transistors continued to become compressed into semiconductors, which led to massive increase in speed and efficiency of computers. These computers were the first to have keyboards and monitors that interface with the operating systems. They could now run multiple programs at a time. These advances caused computers to become even cheaper and smaller than before creating a new market of users in the 1960's. -
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Generation Four
The Intel 4004 chip is created in 1971 which allowed all computer programs to be centralized in one component. Computer chips caused computers to decrease dramatically in size allowing IBM (The first computer for home use) to be created in 1981, followed by the Machintosh by Apple in 1984. Microprocessors then began seeing use in other technologies. Eventually a network was created that links these computers. Thus, the birth of the internet. -
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Generation Five
AI computers are currently in development. The plan is to use nano technology for the processing power of future machines. Eventually there will be machines that can process natural language and learn over time.