History of Computers

1. First Generation of Computers: (1940-1956)

The main features of first generation computers were-
 These computers used vacuum tubes.
 They were very huge in size, taking up entire rooms.
 They used a lot of electricity.
 They generated a large amount of heat.
 They were very costly.

Vacuum tube
Some examples of first generation computers are- ENIAC,
EDVAC and UNIVAC I.
EDVAC- Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer.
UNIVAC I- UNIVersal Automatic Computer.
UNIVAC I was the first commercial computer produced in
the United States in 1951. It was designed by J. Presper
Eckert and John Mauchly, the invertors of the ENIAC. It
could handle both text and numbers.
ENIAC- Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer.
ENIAC was the first electronic computer used for general
purpose, such as solving numerical problems. It was invented
by J. Presper Eckert and Jhon Mauchly at the university of
Pennsylvania in 1946.

ENIAC- First generation Computer

2. Second Generation: (1956-1963)

Their main features were-

 They used Transistors in place of Vacuum tubes.

 They were smaller, cheaper and faster than first
generation computers.
Some examples of second generation are- IBM
7000, ATLAS and Mark III.
Transistor Second Generation Computer