Q. What
is “generation” in computer terminology?
Ans.: “Generation” in computer talk provides a framework for the growth of
computer industry based on key technologies developed. Originally, it was
used to distinguish between hardware technologies by was later extended to
include both hardware and software technologies.
Q. Write down the features of first
generation computers.
Ans.: Features of first generation computers:
|
Generation (Period)
|
Key hardware technologies
|
Key software technologies
|
Key characteristics
|
Some representatives system
|
|
First (1942-1955)
|
Vacuum tubes; electromagnetic relay
memory; punched cards secondary storage
|
Machine and assembly language; stored
program concept; mostly scientific applications
|
Bulky in size; highly unreliable;
limited commercial use; commercial production difficult and costly; difficult
to use
|
ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC, UNIVAC I, IBM 701
|
Q. Write down the features of second
generation computers.
Ans.: Features of second generation computers:
|
Generation (Period)
|
Key hardware technologies
|
Key software technologies
|
Key characteristics
|
Some representatives system
|
|
Second (1955-1964)
|
Transistors; magnetic core memory;
magnetic tapes and disks secondary storage
|
Batch operating system; high-level programming
language; scientific and commercial applications
|
Faster, smaller, more reliable and
easier to program than previous generation systems; commercial production was
still difficult and costly
|
Honeywell 400, IBM 7030, CDC 1604,
UNIVAC AC LARC
|
Q. Write down the features of third
generation computers.
Ans.: Features of third generation computers:
|
Generation (Period)
|
Key hardware technologies
|
Key software technologies
|
Key characteristics
|
Some representatives system
|
|
Third (1964-1975)
|
ICs with SSI and MSI technologies;
larger magnetic core memory; larger capacity magnetic disks and tapes
secondary storage; minicomputers
|
Timesharing operating system;
standardization of high-level programming languages; unbundling of software
from hardware
|
Faster, smaller, more reliable, easier
and cheaper to produce commercially, easier to use, and easier to upgrade than
previous generation systems,;
|
IBM 360/370, PDP-8, PDP-11, CDC 6600
|
Q. Write down the features of fourth
generation computers.
Ans.: Features of fourth generation computers:
|
Generation (Period)
|
Key hardware technologies
|
Key software technologies
|
Key characteristics
|
Some representatives system
|
|
Fourth (1975-1989)
|
ICs with VLSI technology;
microprocessors; semiconductor memory; larger capacity hard disks as in-built
secondary storage; magnetic tapes and floppy disks as portable storage media;
personal computers; spread of high-speed computer networks
|
Operating systems for PCs; GUI;
multiple windows on a single terminal screen; multiprocessor operating
systems and concurrent programming languages; UNIX operating system; C and
C++ programming languages; network
based applications; object-oriented software design
|
small, affordable, reliable, and easy
to use PCs, more powerful and reliable mainframe systems; general purpose
machines; easier to produce commercially
|
IBM PC and its clones, Apple II,
CRAY-1, CRAY-2
|
Q. Write down the features of fifth
generation computers.
Ans.: Features of fifth generation computers:
|
Generation (Period)
|
Key hardware technologies
|
Key software technologies
|
Key characteristics
|
Some representatives system
|
|
Fifth (1989-Present)
|
ICs with ULSI technology; multicore
processor chips; large capacity main memory; large capacity hard disks;
optical disks as portable read-only storage media; notebook computers;
powerful desktop PCs and workstations; very powerful mainframes;
supercomputers based on parallel processing; the internet
|
World Wide Web; multimedia
applications; Internet-based applications; Microkernel; multithreading, and multicore
operating systems; JAVA programming language; MPI and PVM libraries for
parallel programming
|
Portable computers; more powerful,
cheaper, reliable, and easier to use desktop machines; very powerful
mainframes; very high uptime due to hot-pluggable components; general purpose
machines; easier to produce commercially
|
IBM notebooks, Pentium PCs, PRAM
supercomputers
|
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