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The History of Computers
By: Casey Walsh
Introduction

Computer history can be broken down into
five generations of change.
1st generation (1951-57)
 2nd generation (1958-63)
 3rd generation (1964-69)
 4th generation (1970-90)
 5th generation (1991-2005 and beyond)

First Generation: The Vacuum Tube
Age


1951 Dr. John W.
Mauchly and J.
Presper Eckert Jr.
introduce the first
commercially
available electronic
digital computer.
Computers are built
with vacuum tubes
First Generation Innovations
Used vacuum tubes and could make
numerical calculations
 IBM adds computers to its business
equipment and sells over 1,000 systems.
 Introduction of the first high-level
programming language
 First example of software that converts
high-level language symbols into
instructions that a computer can execute


Computers begin to
be built with
transistors.


Transistors are small
devices that transfer
electronic signals
across a resistor
Transistors are
smaller, and produce
less heat than vacuum
tubes.
Second Generation Innovations
1947 Bell Laboratories introduces the first
transistor in 1958 they are put into
computers
 1959 brings us the first removable disk
pack
 1960 had the introduction of the first
business application programming
language

Third Generation: The Integrated
Circuit Age

1964 computer
developers introduce
the Integrated circuit


IC’s are complete
electronic circuits
consisting of multiple
transistors on a small
chip made of silicon
IC’s allow computers
to be more compact
and cost effective
Third Generation Innovations
The 3rd generation also introduces BASIC
programming language
 IBM advances its business introducing the
System/360 which are compatible and can
all use the same programs and peripherals
 1st minicomputer is developed by Digital
Equipment Corporation

Fourth Generation: The
Microprocessor Age

The Microprocessor
Developed by Dr. Ted Hoff of Intel
 A specialized chip for memory and logic
 Made computers smaller, faster, cheaper, and
more reliable

Fourth Generation Innovation



1st Ethernet network
developed at Xerox
Apple introduces its
first consumer friendly
computer
The Intel 4004 is
developed by Ted
Hoff
Fifth Generation: The Age of
Connectivity

The “Connected Generation” because of
the industries massive effort to increase
the connectivity of computers.

Contributed to the internet, and world wide
web, which allows users to gather information
and an infinite rate via the information
superhighway
Fifth Generation Innovations



IBM introduces its first PC
which contains an Intel
processor and Microsoft's
MS-Dos operating
system.
Apple unveils the
Macintosh computer with
its unique easy to use
graphical interface.
To Compete with Apple,
IBM and Microsoft
produce Windows.
More Fifth Generation Innovations



1993 Intel Introduces
the Pentium
Processor
1995 Microsoft
Introduces Windows
95
1996 More than 50
millions PC’s are sold,
and more than 250
million PC’s are in
use world wide