GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER
Generation       Key technologies                Speed           Storage            Operating            Language   Example
                                                                 Device             System
First            Vacuum Tubes                    10-3 Second     Magnetic Drum      Batch                Machine    UNIVAC,
(1940-1956)                                      (Milli Second)                     Processing           Language   ENIAC, ABC
                                                                                    System
Second           Transistors                     10-6 Second     Magnetic Core      Time Sharing,        Assembly   IBM 700, IBM
(1956-1963)                                      (Micro                             Multitasking         language   650, 1401,
                                                 Second)                                                            ATLAS, ICL
                                                                                                                    1901
Third            Integrated Circuits             10-9 Second     Main Storage       Real Time            High Level IBM/360/370,
(1964-1971)      (ICs)                           (Nano           Memory                                  Language   NCR 395,
                                                 Second)                                                 (FORTRAN,  Burroughs-
                                                                                                         COBOL,     B6500
                                                                                                         BASIC)
Fourth           Large Scale Integrated          10-12 Second    Semiconductor      Time Sharing,        High Level Altair 8800,
(1971-Present)   (LSI) Circuit, Very Large       (Pico           Memory Chips       Real Time,           Language   Apple
                 Scale Integrated (VLSI)         Second)                            Networks,            (Oracle,   computer,
                 Circuit, Microprocessors                                           Graphical User       SQL,       IBM–PC,
                                                                                    Interface (GUI)      INGRESS)   Microsoft PC
Fifth            Ultra Large Scale                                                                                  Artificial
(Present &       Integrated (ULSI) Circuit               -               -                  -                  -    Intelligence
Beyond)                                                                                                             Robotics
                                                   TYPES OF COMPUTER
                                                   BASED ON ELECTRONIC SIGNAL
    Type          Defination                                                              Examples
    Analog        It is a form of computer that uses the continuously changeable Deltar, Kerrison Predictor, Nomogram,
                  aspects of physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or Mechanical computer, Scanimate, etc.
                  hydraulic quantities to model the problem being solved.
    Digital       It Performs calculations and logical operations with quantities Desktop Computer, Main frame Computer,
                  represented as binary digits (0 and 1)                                  etc.
    Hybrid        These computers exhibit features of analog computers and digital ECG, monitors, HRS-100
                  computers.
                                                BASED ON CONFIGURATION AND SIZE
    Super         It is focused on performing tasks involving intense numerical PARAM 8000, Cray-1, PARAM Yuva,
                  calculations such as weather forecasting, fluid dynamics, nuclear EKA, SAGA-220, IBM Roadrunner, Cray
                  simulations, theoretical astrophysics, and complex scientific Jaguar, Tianhe-IA, Fujitsu K computer,
                  computations                                                            IBM Sequoia
    Mainframe     These are powerful computers used primarily by corporate and IBM 360/370, IBM zSeries, System z9 and
                  governmental organizations for critical applications, bulk data System z10, Unisys Dorado, Unisys Libra
                  processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics,
                  enterprise resource planning, and transaction processing.
    Mini          These are lower to mainframe computers in terms of speed and Control Data"s CDC 160A and CDC 1700,
                  storage capacity.                                                       HP 3000 series, HP 2100 series, IBM
                                                                                          midrange computers,
    Micro         It is a small, relatively inexpensive computer with a microprocessor Desktop Computer, Laptop, Notebook,
                  as its central processing unit (CPU). It includes a microprocessor, Tablet computer, Smartphone, Palmtop,
                  memory, and input/output (I/O) facilities.                              Handheld Computer / PDA (Personal
                                                                                          Digital Assistant)
                                                           BASED ON FUNCTION
    Server        It is a device that provides functionality for other programs or File server, Print Server, Database server
                  devices, called "clients".
    Workstations  It is a special computer designed for technical or scientific PDP-8, Lisp machines, Xerox PARC,
                  applications.                                                           Xerox Star, etc.
    Information   These are specially designed to perform a specific user-friendly Smartphones, PDAs, etc.
    appliances    function —such as playing music, photography, or editing text.
    Embedded      It is a computer system with a dedicated function within a larger ATMs, thermostats, videogame consoles,
                  mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing PDAs, Etc.
                  constraints.
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