Computer Generation 1 ~ 5

-  Computer Generation -1(1941-1956):

IBM 650Magnetic Drum Calculator

• Use of Vacuum tubes and magnetic drums (for data storage).
• Larger AC were needed.
• Programming in Mechanical Language.
• High Electricity Consumption .
• Big & Clumsy.

- Computer Generation -2(1956-1963):

Computer G-2

• The main components: Transistor.
• Higher processing speed.
• Core Memory was developed.
• Smaller size.
• Using a high level programming language..
• First Operating System was developed.
• separation between internal and external instruction. 
• Magnetic tapes & discs were used.
• Communication between the CPU and I / O Controller using techniques interruptions.
• Computers consumed less heat & consumed less electricity.
• Example: IBM 7000 series such as IBM 7090, IBM 7094 I, 7094 II IBM.     

 -  Computer Generation -3(1964-1971):

Computer G-3

• Main components: Integrated Circuit from class SSIC and MSIC.
• Integrated Circuit: Small Scale Integrated Circuit (SSIC) and Medium Scale Integrated Circuit (MSIC).
• Memory used: semiconductor.
• Power consumption was low.
• High level languages were used.
• Microelectronics technology has already established - gate and memory Cell (flip flop).
• The introduction of direct access to the memory system is DMA (Direct Memory Access).

-  Computer Generation -4(1971~):

Computer G-4

• Main components: the Integrated Circuit.
• Introduced microprocessor technology.
• LSI & VLSI Technology used.
• Integrated Circuit used is LSIC (Large Scale Integrated Circuit.
• Development of Portable Computers.
• Use of Operating System better.
• RAID Technology of data storage.
• Semiconductor memory has reached a high density - RAM and ROM.
• Computers started in use for Data Communication.
• The introduction of the concept of the network, Very-large-scale integration (VLSI).
• Different types of memories with very high accessing speed & storage capacity.

-  Computer Generation -5(~~):

Computer G-5

• Main components: the Integrated Circuit.
• Used in parallel processing.
• Integrated Circuit used is VLSIC (Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit).
• Start the introduction of desktop applications.
• Used in intelligent robots.
• Used superconductors.
• Used in speech recognition. 
• The development of microprocessor technology.