INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE

5. First Generation Computers [1945 Up To 1955] Characteristics of first generation.

Use of vacuum tubes in electronic circuits. These tubes controlled internal operation of computers and they were very huge/ large.

1.      As a result of vacuum tubes the first generation computers were very huge/large or enormous and they occupied entire large rooms.

2.      They used magnetic drums as memory.

3.      They had a limited main storage capacity.

4.      They were slow in input and output speed.

5.      They used punched cards for input and output. 

6.      Programming was done in machine language.

7.      They were expensive to buy and operate.

8.      They generated a lot of heat.

9.      They required much air conditioning to cool them.

10.   They required a lot of electricity (high power consumption).

Examples of 1^st Generation Computers  

•       Electronic numerical integrator and calculator (ENIAC). It was the 1^st generation computer by John Eckert and John Marchy.

•       Electronic delay storage automation computer (EDVAC) developed by mu wilts at conlondge university in 1949

•       Universal Automatic computer (UNIUAC) John Eckert and Muchy produced it in 1951 by universal accounting setup. Limitation of 1^st Generation Computers 1. The operation speed was very low.

2.     The power consumption was very high.

3.     It required a large space for installation.

4.     Limited primary memory.

5.     Generated a lot of heat.

6.     They were very heavy. (They weighed about up to 30tonnes).

Its programming ability was quite low. 2^nd Generation Computer