Evolution of Computers

First generation
• MARK 1 use mechanical switches.
• ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) use vacuum tube. A vacuum tube which is an electronic tube about the size of light bulbs. The disadvantages is the vacuum tubes generated a great deal of heat causing many problems in temperature regulation and climate control and the tubes also burnt out frequently.
• Storage used are punched card and magnetic tape.
• UNIVAC ( Universal Automatic Computer ) could calculate at rate 10,000 addition p/s

Second generation
• Use transistor - It was small devices use to transfer electronic signals across a resister.

Advantages :
• transistors were smaller than vacuum tubes
• they needed no warm up time
• consumed less energy
• generated much less heat
• faster and more reliable

Third generation
• IBM 370 series were introduced in 1964..It was used for business and scientific programs.
• Silicone chip was developed in 1961
• Microchip replace magnetic Core memory
• First 256 bit RAM was introduced and as basis for 1 K bit RAM

Advantanges :
• Silicone chips were reliable, compact and cheaper.
• Sold hardware and software separately which created the software industry.

Fourth Generation

Comp models introduced : Apple Macintosh, IBM, DELL, ACER
1971- Intel created 1st microprocessor
1976 – 1st Apple comp introduced.
1981 – 1st IBM PC introduced.

Hardw tech invented– silicone chips, microprocessor ( for comp memory and logic , circuit that contained thousands of transistors) and storage devices.

Advantages :
- Comp became 100 times smaller than ENIAC
- More speed, reliability and storage capability
- Personal n software industry boomed

Fifth Generation

• Inventions of new hardw tech:
 silicone chips, processor, robotics, virtual reality, Intelligent system, program translate language
 expert system
- teleconferencing
- speech recognition system

ICT is the technology required for information processing, in particular, the use of electronic computers, communication devices and software applications to convert, store, protect, process, transmit and retrieve information from anywhere, anytime.