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fact-O-pedia
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Computer Generations
Computers have become a vital part of our lives. There are five generations of computers till date -
each defined by a significant technological development that fundamentally changes how computers
operate. The next generation of computers will be more powerful, efficient, and robust than the
previous one.
Let us know more about the world of computers.
1 First Generation (1940–1956)
These computers used vacuum tubes. They were expensive, huge,
and generated a lot of heat.
2 Second Generation (1956–1963)
These computers used transistors in place of vacuum tubes. They
were smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient than first generation
computers.
3 Third Generation (1964–1971)
These computers used Integrated Circuits (IC) in place of
transistors. They performed billions of instructions in a few
seconds and were more reliable.
4 Fourth Generation (1971–present)
ICs were replaced with microprocessors in these computers. They
have become more powerful, compact, reliable, and affordable. As
a result, they gave rise to personal computer (PC) revolution.
5 Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond)
These computers are based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). They are
still in developmental stage. The main goal of the fifth generation
is to develop computers that respond to natural language and can
think, work, and behave like a human.
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