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1st Generation of Computers
These computers were very large and had to be rewired with cables to be reprogramed. They used vacuum tubes and had a high electricity consumption. A larger AC was needed and lots of electricity failure occured. -
Public gets first glimpse of the ENIAC
Invented by John Mauchly and and J Presper Eckert. this machine improved 1,000 times on the speed of it contemporaries. -
Williams vacuum tube won a race for practical random access memory
Vacuum tubes by Williams were used for primary memory. -
Claude Shannon's "mathematical theory of communication"
this showed how engineers could code data so they could check accuratel after transmission between computers. He identified the fundamental unit of data and the basic unit of computation. -
The EDSAC
It was invented by Maurice Wilkes. Its the first practical store program computer at cambridge University. Memory: 1k words, 17 bits, mercury delay line. Speed: 714 operations per second -
England's first commercial computer.
Computer solved clerical problems. It was built to solve problems of production and cake deliverers to the Lyons tea co. -
First Generation Computer
They were very large and bulky computers. Often took up whole rooms. They used vacuum tubes. -
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2nd Generation of Computers
These computers were faster, smaller, and more reliable. Magnetic tape and disks were used for storage. Magnetic hard drives and programming languages were developed durning this generation. -
ERMA digitializing account reading for banks.
ERMA, the Electronic Recording Method of Accounting, digitized checking for the Bank of America by creating a computer-readable font. -
A transistor used in Second Generation
Smaller, more faster and reliable. They consumed less energy. They also made less heat. -
DEC´s PDP-1 sold for $120,000.
The average PDP-1 included with a cathode ray tube graphic display, needed no air conditioning and required only one operator. -
IBM 1301 Disk Storage Unit is released.
The 1301 leased for $2,100 per month or could be purchased for $115,500. The drive had one read/write arm for each disk as well as flying heads, both of which are still used in today’s disk drives. -
Tandy radio shack is founded
was formed by 1963 merger of Radio Shack and Tandy Leather Co. They sold a variety of electronic products, mainly hobbiests. -
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3rd Generation of Computers
Ingrated circuits marked the begining of this generation. Power consumption was low. High level languages were used. Incorporated many transitors and electronic circuits. Computers were even smaller and more reliable. -
Stanford team created DENDRAL
first program designed to execute the accumulated expertise of specialists. project led by Ed Feigenbaum -
Quad dual core processor
This quad dual core processor was the main processor used during this generation. Much faster than processors from earlier genertaions. -
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4th Generation of Computers
Most of today's computers fall in this category. They use mircoprocessors, which were invented in 1971, that contain core processing capabilities of an entire computer on one single chip. -
The Alto
The first work station with a built in mouse for input. Stored several files simutaineously, offered menus and icons, and could link to a local network. -
A Fourth Generation Computer
Fourth Generation computers are fery high tech. Much smaller and more powerful. Have a good memory storage system. -
PS/2
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Mosaic Web browser released
First software allowed graphical acces to the internet. -
Iomega Zip Disk released
allowed 100 MB to be stored on a cartridge the size of a floppy disk -
Period: to
5th Generation of Computers
One theory is that they will be based on artificial intelligence allowing them to think, reason, and learn. Voice and touch capabilities are expected for primary input. They may be constructed in the form of optical computers that process data using light instead of electrons, and that they are going to be built straight into desks and home appliances for everyday use. -
Fifth Generation Computer
A new futuristic computer expected to be comming out in the near fufture. Is virtually flat and has a small compact keyboard and mouse. No more wires to fool with soon? -
All by touch, no more sticky keys.
On this computer there is no keys. It is all done by touch screen. High tech sensors can feel the pressure or the heat of your hand as you lightly tap the key you want. -
A battle to make computers smaller
Having a small computer that projects the keyboard onto any surface. It will sense the movements of your fingers and type the letter that corresponds to the motion that you made.
