SHARANPREET SIDHU IT/9

The first generation of computers is said by some to have started in 1946 with Eniac, the first 'computer' to use electronic valves. Others would say it started in May 1949 with the introduction of EDSAC the first stored program computer. Whichever, the distinguishing feature of the first generation computers was the use of electronic valves. My personal take on this is that ENIAC was the World's first electronic calculator and that the era of the first generation computers began in 1946 because that was the year when people consciously set out to build stored program computers (many won't agree, and I don't intend to debate it). The first past the post, as it were, was the EDSAC in 1949.

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. First large scale machines were made using these technologies to meet the requirements of atomic energy laboratories. One of the other benefits to the programming group was that the second generation replaced Machine language with the assembly language.

Although transistors were great deal of improvement over the vacuum tubes, they generated heat and damaged the sensitive areas of the computer. It combined electronic components onto a small silicon disc, made from quartz.. Also in third generation computers, the operating systems allowed the machines to run many different applications. These applications were monitored and coordinated by the computer's memory.

Fourth Generation computers are the modern day computers. The Size started to go down with the improvement in the integrated circuits. Very Large Scale and Ultra Large scale 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. Due to the reduction of cost and the availability of the computers power at a small place allowed everyday user to benefit. First came the minicomputers, which offered users different applications, most famous of these the word processors and spreadsheets, which could be used by non-technical users. Video game systems like Atari 2600 generated the interest of general populace in the computers.

COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE The software is the stuff you can’t touch, like the code of the device. Some times you don’t need to have software run properly, but it put many limitations on what it can do, like KidPix All computers need hardware like a hard drive, processor, memory, motherboard, power supply, among other things. They are the stuff you can touch.

INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES -Keyboards and computer mice output into the computer, while monitors and printers output from the computer. Both are examples of Input/Output

PROCESSORS AND MEMORY -Memory is a piece of hardware used to store data on computer. -Memory is stored into memory cells, each storing one binary bit (1 or 0). -Processor, also called central processing unit (CPU) is hardware that carries out the computer programming instructions, by performing basic arithmetical, logical and input/output operations of the system.

HARD DRIVES AND REMOVABLE STORAGE old computers used hole cards to store information. -some of the is storage are input and output