Computers are machines that perform only when instructed. They may operate at incredibly fast speed and perform with unbelievable accuracy. But they are able to act or think on their own. Human being is leading towards a stage, when an artificial intelligent machine could be developed which will even be in a position to think and decide. Recent researches are aimed at designing the logic for the thinking computers for building expert systems and knowledge based systems. This computer is using magnetic bubble memories and other recent developments are on the way. These computers will be based on advances in silicon technology. An architecture which makes use of the changes in the technology and allows an easier and more neutral problem solving is being sought.
Posts Tagged ‘generation’
Fifth Generation Computers
September 18th, 2009Fourth Generation Computers
September 15th, 2009Development of microprocessor in 1972 is a significant event of the 20th century. When integrated with storage, input and output units, a microprocessor produces a microcomputer. Microcomputer is a compact stand-alone and easy to use device. It offers efficiency and cost effectiveness over its earlier alternatives. They are interactive and respond directly and immediately to the user’s input. The most common and popular version of microprocessor is the Personal Computer (PC). The fourth generation also saw simplification of the language. This made managing of data simpler and writing instructions made simple by using a language 4th generation languages, which were easy to learn and understand. Very complex and computationally intensive problems led to the development of highly proficient super computer.
Third Generation Computer
September 12th, 2009Third generation computers were introduced in the mid sixties. These were based on tiny micro miniaturized Integrated Chips (ICs). The Integrated Chips were made of silicon. The properties of silicon were charged through a series of manufacturing steps thus creating a means of controlling electrical signals which are vital to the functioning of a computer. The small and medium scale integrated chips replaced the transistors in the hardware, while semi-conductor memory elements replaced the magnetic core memory. Magnetic disks fully replaced the magnetic tapes as the storage medium. The ICs provided vast internal storage and increased the operational efficiency. Use of discs overcame many of the problems associated with previously used tapes viz. slow, speed and sequential access of data.
First Generation Computers
September 6th, 2009The late forties and the early fifties have seen computer hardware using vacuum tubes as the basic building blocks. The first electronic digital computer ENIAC developed in the late forties was based on vacuum tube circuitry. The concept of stored program was introduced by Von Neumann around the same time. The first generation computer used vacuum tube circuitry as such these were quite large. They had a poor reliability and had only a limited functional capability. Some of the early computers were built by using thousands of vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube was a fragile glass device that used filaments as a source of electrons and control and amplify electronic signals. It was one of the high-speed electronic switching devices available at that time. The vacuum tube computers could perform computations in milliseconds. They were huge in size and occupied large spaces.
Computer generations
September 3rd, 2009The computer generation means step-by-step growth in the technology. It is often used in relation to the hardware of computer. Each phase of computer has been extended to include both hardware and software, together make up an entire computer system. In each phase of development in the technology, the electronic devices are utilized. Based on the period of development, the feature incorporated and the technological advancement, the computer has been classified into various generations. Computer system belonging to one particular level of technology are said to be belong to certain computer generation. There are five generations of computers each corresponding to different technology such as vacuum tubes, transistors, Integrated Circuits, Microprocessors, artificial intelligence.
