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How many generations of computers are there so far? I believe that many inexperienced people are at a loss about this, so this article summarizes the causes and solutions of the problem. Through this article, I hope you can solve this problem.

So far, computers belong to the fourth generation.

The first generation: tube digital machine (1946-1958)

In terms of hardware, the logic element uses vacuum tube, the main memory uses mercury delay line, cathode ray oscilloscope tube electrostatic memory, magnetic drum, magnetic core, and the external memory uses magnetic tape. Machine language and assembly language are used in software. The main application fields are military and scientific computing.

The disadvantages are large size, high power consumption and poor reliability. Slow (usually thousands to tens of thousands of times per second) and expensive, but laid the foundation for future computer development.

The second generation: transistor digital machine (1958-1964)

The hardware application fields of operating systems, high-level languages and their compilers are mainly scientific computing and transaction processing, and began to enter the field of industrial control. It is characterized by reduced size, reduced energy consumption, improved reliability, improved operation speed (generally 100000 times per second, up to 3 million times), and the performance is much higher than that of the first generation computer.

The third generation: integrated circuit digital machines (1964-1970)

In terms of hardware, the logic components use small and medium-scale integrated circuits (MSI, SSI), and the main memory still uses magnetic cores. In the aspect of software, there are time-sharing operating system and structured and large-scale programming methods. It is characterized by faster speed (usually millions to tens of millions of times per second), significant improvement in reliability, further decline in prices, and products moving towards generalization, serialization and standardization. The field of application begins to enter the field of word processing and graphics and image processing.

The 4th generation: large-scale integrated circuit machines (1970-present)

In terms of hardware, the logic components use large-scale and very large-scale integrated circuits (LSI and VLSI). In the aspect of software, there are database management system, network management system and object-oriented language. In 1971, the world's first microprocessor was born in Silicon Valley in the United States, ushering in a new era of microcomputers. The application field is gradually moving from scientific computing, transaction management and process control to the family.

Due to the development of integration technology, semiconductor chips are more integrated, each chip can hold tens of thousands or even millions of transistors, and the calculator and controller can be concentrated on one chip, resulting in the emergence of microprocessors, and can be assembled into microcomputers with microprocessors and large-scale and ultra-large-scale integrated circuits, which is what we often call microcomputers or PCs. The microcomputer is small, cheap and easy to use, but its function and computing speed have reached or even exceeded that of the mainframe computer in the past. On the other hand, a variety of logic chips made from large-scale and ultra-large-scale integrated circuits have been made into giant computers that are not very large, but can operate at a speed of up to 100 million or even billions of times. Following the development of the Galaxy Ⅰ supercomputer, which has 100 million operations per second in 1983, the Galaxy Ⅱ general parallel supercomputer was developed in 1993. This period also produced a new generation of programming languages, database management systems and network software.

With the change of physical elements and devices, not only the host computer has undergone upgrading, but also its external equipment is constantly changing. For example, the external memory has developed from the initial cathode ray display tube to the magnetic core and drum, and then to a general-purpose disk, and now there is a smaller, larger and faster CD-ROM.

After reading the above, have you mastered how many generations of computers have been used so far? If you want to learn more skills or want to know more about it, you are welcome to follow the industry information channel, thank you for reading!

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