Timeline: five generation of computers

Period: Jan 1, 1940 to Jan 1, 1956

first genration computers

• First computers used vacuum tubes
• First generation from 1940 to 1956
• Magnetic drums for memory and were often enormous
• Lowest level programing language
• They were expensive

Mar 20, 1940

first generation computer

• First computers used vacuum tubes
• First generation from 1940 to 1956
• Magnetic drums for memory and were often enormous
• Lowest level programing language
• They were expensive

Period: Jan 1, 1956 to Jan 1, 1963

second genration

• Made in 1956 to 1963
• Second generations moved from cryptic binary machine language
• Developed for the atomic energy industry
• Such as early versions of Cobol and Fortran
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered

Mar 20, 1956

second generation computer

• Made in 1956 to 1963
• Second generations moved from cryptic binary machine language
• Developed for the atomic energy industry
• Such as early versions of Cobol and Fortran
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered

Mar 20, 1963

third generation computer

• 1964 to 1971
• Smaller and cheaper
• Keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system
• Development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark

Period: Jan 1, 1964 to Jan 1, 1971

thrid generation

• 1964 to 1971
• Smaller and cheaper
• Keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system
• Development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark

Period: Jan 1, 1971 to Jan 1, 2013

fourth generation

• 1971 presents microprocessors
• In 1981 ibm introduced its first computer for the home user
• In 1984 apple introduced the macintosh
• Central processing unit

Mar 20, 1971

fourth generation computer

• 1971 presents microprocessors
• In 1981 ibm introduced its first computer for the home user
• In 1984 apple introduced the macintosh
• Central processing unit

Period: Jan 1, 2013 to Jan 1, 2015