Certified Computer Fundamentals MS Office Professional Learning Resources Generations of Computers

Generations of Computers

Computers have five generations in which each generation of computer refer to technological development.

First Generation 1940-1956 computers used vacuum tubes as circuitry and magnetic drums for memory.

They took entire rooms and were very expensive.

Second Generation 1956-1963 used transistors and thus computers were smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation computers.

Third Generation 1964-1971 used integrated circuits placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

Fourth Generation 1971-Present used microprocessors, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip.

Fifth Generation Present and Beyond based on artificial intelligence, are still in development.
 

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