Evolution of Computers

First Generation: 1944-1959


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Characteristics:

(not all first generation computers had all these characteristics)

-vacuum tube based

-punched tape input or output

-about 1,000 circuits per cubic foot

Examples:

-Harvard Mark I (electromechanical)

-Whirlwind

-ENIAC

-EDSAC

-UNIVAC I, UNIVAC II, UNIVAC 1101

-RCA BIZMAC

-NCR CRC 102A, NCR CRC 102D

-Honeywell Datamatic 1000

-Burroughs E101, Burroughs 220

-IBM models 604, 650 (drum memory), 701, 702, 704, 705, 709





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Second Generation: 1960-1964

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Characteristics:

-used transistors

-about 100,000 circuits per foot

Examples:

-UNIVAC 1107, UNIVAC III

-RCA 501

-Philco Transact S-2000

-NCR 300 series

-IBM 7030 Stretch

-IBM 7070, 7080, 7090, 1400 series, 1600 series

-Honeywell 800, 400 series

-General Electric GE 635, 645, GE 200

-Control Data Corp. CDC 1604, 3600, 160A

-LARC

-Burroughs B5000, 200 series



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Third Generation: 1964-1975

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Characteristics:

-large scale integrated circuits

-10 million circuits per square foot

Examples:

-Burroughs 6700

-Control Data 3300, 6600, 7600

-Honeywell 200

-IBM System/360, System 3, System 7

-NCR Century Series

-RCA Spectra 70 series

-UNIVAC 9000 series

-General Electric GE 600 series, GE 235



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Fourth Generation: 1975-Current

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Characteristics:

-very large scale integration

-continued miniaturization

-billions of circuits per cubic foot

Examples:

-IBM System 3090, IBM RISC 6000, IBM RT

-ILLIAC IV

-Cray 2 XMP

-HP 9000

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Fifth Generation: Current and Future

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Characteristics:

Combinations of some or all of the following technologies:

-extremely large scale integration

-parallel processing

-high speed logic and memory chips

-high performance, micro-miniaturization

-voice/data integration; knowledge-based platforms

-artificial intelligence, expert systems

-virtual reality generation

-satellite links


Source
http://www.computermuseum.li/