The Contemporary Computer Age Ed-Eng 106 – Technology in Language Education

Computer Age is also known as: Information Age  Digital Age  New Media Age

When we talk about Computer Revolution in the Contemporary age, this matters alway confronts the picture of the world today:

Boundless Connectivity Fast and Wide Range of Accessibility Multiple Tasking Management Time Efficiency Hyper Productivity MegaLibrary A Changing Reality Information Overdrive

As the years pass by so quickly Computers transformed and developed in different forms (gadgets, appliances etc.) to cater the needs of the advancing worlds. Computers Change the Way we Understand Reality. The use Computer is indeed a life changing experience. Household of today without even a single computers is considered primitive.

Five Generations of Computer

Vacuum Tubes First Generation ( ) Vacuum Tubes First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.

Vacuum Tubes First Generation ( ) Vacuum Tubes The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices.

Vacuum Tubes First Generation ( ) Vacuum Tubes UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer)

First Generation ( ) Vacuum Tubes Eniac (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer)

Transistors Second Generations ( ) Transistors The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube.

Second Generations ( ) Transistors Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.

Third Generation ( ) Integrated Circuits The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

Integrated Circuits Third Generation ( ) Integrated Circuits Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Microprocessors Fourth Generation(1971-Present) Microprocessors thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. from desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors. small computers became more powerful

Fourth Generation(1971-Present) Microprocessors They could be linked together to form networks which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence still developing advance applications are tantamount Parallel processing and superconductors are being utilize to create an artificial intelligence a reality the use of quantum computing and molecular nanotechnology is rapidly changing the face of modern computers.

Computer Technology has become an integral part of our everyday life. A separation of these technical innovations would not come without adverse effects.

Imagine the World Without Internet!

Internet Users in the World Sources: Internet World Stats -

INTERNET USAGE STATISTICS The Internet Big Picture World Internet Users and Population Stats

Development to Computers

Top Ten Computer Trends for the 21st Century According to Institute for Global Futures Computers will become: 1. powerful extensions of human beings designed to augment intelligence, learning, communications, and productivity. 2. Intuitive—they will “learn,” “recognize,” and “know” what we want, who we are, and even what we desire.

Top Ten Computer Trends for the 21st Century According to Institute for Global Futures 3. Computer chips will be everywhere, and they will become invisible-embedded in everything from brains and hearts, to clothes and toys. 4. Computers will manage essential global systems, such as transportation and food production, better than humans will.

Top Ten Computer Trends for the 21st Century According to Institute for Global Futures 5. Online computer resources will enable us to download applications on-demand via wireless access anywhere and anytime. 6. Computers will have digital senses- speech, sight, smell, hearing-enabling them to communicate with humans and other machines.

Top Ten Computer Trends for the 21st Century According to Institute for Global Futures 7. Neural networks and other forms of artificial intelligence will make computers both as smart as humans, and smarter for certain jobs. 8. Human and computer evolution will converge. Synthetic intelligence will greatly enhance the next generations of humans.

Top Ten Computer Trends for the 21st Century According to Institute for Global Futures 9. Human and computer evolution will converge. Synthetic intelligence will greatly enhance the next generations of humans. 10. As computers surpass humans in intelligence, a new digital species and a new culture will evolve that is parallel to ours.

Challenges Brought by the Computer Age Humans are expected to do more Diminishing Realistic Activities Ubiquitous Connectivity Instantaneous Access to Unlimited Stores of Information Skills and Knowledge Needed in a world transformed by Technology Humans are expected to do more than what a computer can do.

REFERENCES Anonymous (updated 2010, May 14) The Five Genration of Computers. retrieved January 3, 2014 fromhttp:// _Software/2002/FiveGenerations.asp. Canton, James Ph.D (2013) Top Ten Computer Trends in the 21st Century. Retrieved January 7, 2014 from computer-trends-for-the-21st-century.html