First Generation Computers (1940-1956)

During the first generation,computers were with vacuum tubes.
Vacuum tube is an electronic tube is made of glass used as
 computer component to store and process data.
The problems of vacuum tube are generates lots
 of heat that can damage computer and tubes
 can burnt out frequently.ENIAC is first generation
 computer that contains weights of 30 tons,18000
 vacuum tubes,30-50 foot space and 16000 watts
 of power.Advantages of computers in this era :
The using of vacuum tubes that can store and process data

                 Second Generation of Computer (1956-1963) 

The invention of Transistors marked the start of the second generation.These transistors took place of the vacuum tubes used in the first generation computers. Second generation computers also started showing the characteristics of modern day computers with utilities such as printers,disk storage and operating systems. In Second Generation computers, the instruction

could be stored inside the computer's memory.

 High-level languages such as COBOL

 (Common Business-Oriented Language) 

and FORTRAN (Formula Translator) were

 used, and they are still used for some applications nowdays.

          Third Generation of Computer (1964-1971)

 

In third generation, the operating systems allowerd

 the machine to run many different application.

 These applications were monitored and cooordinated

 by the computer's memory. In third generation also,

 the Integrated Circuit(IC) was invented in 1958 by

 Jack Kilby is combined with electronic components

 onto a small silicon disc, made from quartz.

 more advancement made possible the fitings

 of even more components on a small chip or semi conductor.

              Fourth Generation of Computer (1971-present) 

Fourth Generation of computers are the modern day computers. 

The siz started to go down with the improvement in the integrated circuits.

 Very Large Scale(VLSI) and Ultra Large Scale(ULSI)

 ensured that millions of components could be fit into a small chip.

 It reduced the size and price of the computers at the same time

 increasing power, efficiency and reliability. "the intel 4004 chi[,

 developed in 1971, took integrated circuit one step further by

 locating all the components of a computer (central processing

 unit, memory,and input and output controls) on a minuscule chip."

The continued improvement allowed the networking of

 computers for the sharing of data. Local Area Networks(LAN)

 and Wide Area Network(WAN), were potential benefits,

 in that they could be implemented in corporations and 

everybody could share data over it. Soon the internet 

and World Wide Web appeared on the computer scene

 and formented the Hi-Tech revolution of 90's. 

Fifth Generation of Computer (present and  beyond)

Fifth generations computers are only in the minds
 of advance research scientiets and being tested out in
 the laboratories.
 These computers will be under Artifical Intelligence(AI), 
They will be able to take commands in a audio visual way and 
carry out instructions. Many of the operations which requires
 low human intelligence will be perfomed by these computers.

Parallel Processing is coming and showing the possibiliy that
 the power of many CPU's can be used side by side, and
 computers will be more powerful than thoes under central
 processing. Advances in Super Conductor technology will
 greatly improve the speed of information traffic. 
Future looks bright for the computers.