Chilsey Bianca C.

Borres BSIT – 1 S

History of Computers Generation

The term ‘computer’ has a fascinating history. Originally, in the 16 th century, it referred to a person who
performed calculations. This usage continued into the 20 th century, when women were employed as
human computers to perform various types of calculations. By the late 19 th century, ‘computer’ also began
to refer to machines that could perform calculations. Today, it typically describes programmable digital
devices powered by electricity.
Early History of Computer
Since the beginning of human history, devices have been used for calculations for thousands of years. One
of the earliest and most famous devices was the abacus. In 1822, Charles Babbage, the father of
computers, started developing what would become the first mechanical computer. By 1833, he had
designed the Analytical Engine, a general-purpose computer featuring an ALU, basic flowchart principles,
and integrated memory.
Over a century later, the first general-purpose electronic computer, ENIAC (Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Computer), was created by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. As technology
progressed, computers became smaller and faster. In 1981, Adam Osborne and EPSON introduced the
first laptop.

Generations of Computers
In the history of computers, we often refer to the advancements of modern computers as the generation of
computers. We are currently on the fifth generation of computers. So let us look at the important features
of these five generations of computers.

1st Generation: That period marked a significant era in computing history, often referred to as the first
generation of computers. The machines like ENIAC, UNIVAC-1, and EDVAC were indeed massive and
relied on vacuum tubes for processing and magnetic drums for memory. They were primarily used with
batch operating systems and punch cards, with magnetic tape and paper tape serving as input/output
devices. This early technology laid the foundation for the rapid advancements that followed in subsequent
decades.
2nd Generation: The second generation of computers, from 1957 to 1963, represented a significant
technological leap. Computers of this era moved from using vacuum tubes to transistors, which made
them smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient. Programming languages like COBOL and FORTRAN
emerged, enhancing the versatility and complexity of applications. Examples of second-generation
computers include the IBM 1620, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, and CDC 3600. These innovations set the stage
for further advancements in computing technology.
3rd Generation: The hallmark of the period from 1964 to 1971 was the development of the integrated
circuit (IC). A single IC contains many transistors, which increased the power of computers while
simultaneously lowering their cost. These computers were quicker, smaller, more reliable, and less
expensive than their predecessors. High-level programming languages such as FORTRAN II-IV, COBOL,
and PASCAL PL/1 were utilized. Examples of computers from this era include the IBM 360 series, the
Honeywell 6000 series, and the IBM 370/168.
4th Generation: The fourth generation of computers, spanning from 1971 to 1980, was characterized by
the invention of the microprocessor. This advancement led to the development of more powerful and
compact computers. Programming languages such as C, C++, and Java were used during this period.
Notable examples of fourth-generation computers include the STAR 1000, PDP 11, CRAY-1, CRAY-X-
MP, and the Apple II. This era also saw the beginning of computers designed for home use.
5th Generation: Since 1980, the fifth generation of computers has been in use and continues to shape the
future of computing. The defining feature of this era is artificial intelligence, with advancements in
parallel processing and superconductors playing a significant role. Fifth-generation computers utilize
Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI) technology, making them the most advanced and sophisticated
systems available. They use a variety of programming languages, including C, C++, Java, and .NET.
Examples of fifth-generation computers include IBM systems, Pentium processors, desktops, laptops,
notebooks, and ultrabooks.

Brief History of Computers

The true potential of computing could only be achieved after moving past the simple understanding of
computation. The inventors who dedicated their efforts to develop the computer understood that they were
creating something beyond a simple calculating device or numeric processor. They needed to overcome
all the challenges of creating, executing the plan, and constructing the machine. The solving of difficulties
in the history of computers has shaped their development.

19th Century
1801 – French manufacturer and weaver Joseph Marie Jacquard invented an automated loom that used
punched wooden cards to weave patterns into cloth.
1822 – Charles Babbage, a mathematician, created the steam-powered calculating machine capable of
computing number tables. The “Difference Engine” concept was unsuccessful because of the outdated
technology of the day.
1848 – English mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer program ever, which included a
detailed guide on how to compute Bernoulli numbers on Babbage’s machine.
1890 – The punch card method, developed by inventor Herman Hollerith, is used to compute the results
of the 1880 US census. He would later found the company that would eventually become IBM.

Early 20th Century

1930 – Vannevar Bush created and constructed the first large-scale automated general-purpose
mechanical analogue computer, known as the Differential Analyzer.
1936 – The Turing machine was the name given to Alan Turing’s invention of a universal machine that
could calculate anything that could be calculated.
1939 – Bill Hewlett and David Packard found Hewlett-Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California.
1941 – German engineer and inventor Konrad Zuse finished building the Z3, the first digital computer
ever. But the device was destroyed in a bombing raid on Berlin during World War II.
1941 – A computer designed by J.V. Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry can solve 29 equations
simultaneously. The initial instance in which a computer’s main memory may hold data.
1945 – Academics at the University of Pennsylvania John Mauchly and J. An Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) is invented by Presper Eckert. The “Grandfather of computers” was
able to solve “a vast class of numerical problems” by reprogramming and was Turing-complete.
1946 – The first general-purpose electronic digital computer developed for business use in the United
States was called the UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer).
1949 – The “first practical stored-program computer” is the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic
Calculator (EDSAC), created by a group at the University of Cambridge.
1950 – The first completed stored-program computer in US history was the Standards Eastern Automatic
Computer (SEAC), constructed in Washington, DC.

Late 20th Century

1953 – The first computer language is created by computer scientist Grace Hopper and is later referred to
as COBOL, or Common, Business-Oriented Language. It made it possible for a computer user to give
instructions to the computer using language other than numbers, such as English.
1954 – John Backus and a team of IBM programmers created the FORTRAN programming language, an
acronym for FORmula TRANslation. In addition, IBM developed the 650.

1958 – The integrated circuit, sometimes known as the computer chip, was created by Jack Kirby and
Robert Noyce.
1962 – Atlas, the computer, makes its appearance. It was the fastest computer in the world at the time, and
it pioneered the concept of “virtual memory.”
1964 – Douglas Engelbart proposes a modern computer prototype that combines a mouse and a graphical
user interface (GUI).
1969 – Bell Labs developers, led by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie, revealed UNIX, an operating
system developed in the C programming language that addressed program compatibility difficulties.
1970 – The Intel 1103, the first Dynamic Access Memory (DRAM) chip, is unveiled by Intel.
1971 – Along with many IBM engineers, Alan Shugart devised the floppy disc. The first laser printer was
created by Xerox the same year, and it not only brought in billions of dollars but also signaled the start of
a new era in computer printing.
1973 – Robert Metcalfe, a member of Xerox’s research department, created Ethernet, which is used to
connect many computers and other gear.
1974 – Personal computers were introduced into the market. The first were the Altair Scelbi & Mark-8,
IBM 5100, and Radio Shack’s TRS-80.
1975 – Popular Electronics magazine touted the Altair 8800 as the world’s first minicomputer kit in
January. Paul Allen and Bill Gates offer to build software in the BASIC language for the Altair.
1976 – Apple Computers is founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who expose the world to the
Apple I, the first computer with a single-circuit board.
1977 – At the first West Coast Computer Faire, Jobs and Wozniak announce the Apple II. It has colour
graphics and a cassette drive for storing music.
1978 – The first computerized spreadsheet program, VisiCalc, is introduced.
1979 – WordStar, a word processing tool from MicroPro International, is released.
1981 – IBM unveils the Acorn, their first personal computer, which has an Intel CPU, two floppy drives,
and a colour display. The MS-DOS operating system from Microsoft is used by Acorn.
1983 – When the CD-ROM first came out on the market, it could store 550 megabytes of recorded data.
The Gavilan SC, the first flip-form portable computer and the first to be sold as a “laptop,” was also
released this year.
1984 – Apple launched Macintosh during the Superbowl XVIII commercial. It was priced at $2,500
1985 – Microsoft introduces Windows, which enables multitasking via a graphical user interface. In
addition, the programming language C++ has been released.
1990 – English scientist and programmer Tim Berners-Lee develops HyperText Markup Language, or
HTML as it is often known. Along with creating the first browser, a server, HTML, and URLs, he also
came up with the name “WorldWideWeb.”
1993 – The Pentium CPU improves the usage of graphics and music on personal computers.
1995 – The Windows 95 operating system was made available by Microsoft. To spread the word, a $300
million advertising effort was started. Java 1.0 is released by Sun Microsystems; JavaScript is thereafter
released by Netscape Communications.
1996 – At Stanford University, Sergey Brin and Larry Page created the Google search engine.
1998 – Apple introduces the iMac, an all-in-one Macintosh desktop computer. These PCs cost $1,300 and
came with a 4GB hard drive, 32MB RAM, a CD-ROM, and a 15-inch monitor.
1999 – Wi-Fi, an abbreviation for “wireless fidelity,” is created, originally covering a range of up to 300
feet.

21st Century
2000 – The USB flash drive is first introduced in 2000. They were speedier and had more storage space
than other storage media options when used for data storage.
2001 – Apple releases Mac OS X, later renamed OS X and eventually simply macOS, as the successor to
its conventional Mac Operating System.
2003 – Customers could purchase AMD’s Athlon 64, the first 64-bit CPU for consumer computers.
2004 – Facebook began as a social networking website.
2005 – Google acquires Android, a mobile phone OS based on Linux.
2006 – Apple’s MacBook Pro was available. The Pro was the company’s first dual-core, Intel-based
mobile computer.
Amazon Web Services, including Amazon Elastic Cloud 2 (EC2) and Amazon Simple Storage Service,
were also launched (S3)
2007 – Apple created the first iPhone, which put several computing functions in our hands. In 2007,
Amazon also introduced the Kindle, one of the first electronic reading devices.
2009 – Microsoft released Windows 7.
2011 – Google introduces the Chromebook, which runs Google Chrome OS.
2014 – The University of Michigan Micro Mote (M3), the world’s smallest computer, was constructed.
2015 – Apple introduces the Apple Watch. Windows 10 was also released by Microsoft.
2016 – The world’s first reprogrammable quantum computer is built.