CHAPTER II.

EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER

This chapter covers the classification of computer generation, type, purpose, and
size and processing power. It also It also identifies the different periods in the evolution of
computer and enumerates the devices that lead in the evolution of computer.
Assessment tasks will be given at the end of the lesson and will be submitted on or before
the scheduled date as specified in the Course Guide.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

 Identify the different devices that leads to the evolution of computer;

 Enumerate the invented devices in each period of computer evolutions;
 Compare each computer generations;
 Differentiate the software and hardware technology on each generation;

Learning Contents:

History of Computer
Generation of Computer
Classification of Computer
According to Purpose
According to Data Handled
According to Capacity
 History of Computers

Pre-Modern Era
A. Manual-Mechanical Computers
These are devices powered by hand and require physical effort from the user.

◄ Abacus
1200 A.D. The first man-made computing device that uses
beads; it was well known used by the Chinese.
Figure 2.1. Abacus

◄Napier’s Bones. In 1617, a Scotsman named John Napier

invented logarithms, which are technology that allows
multiplication to be performed via addition. The magic
ingredient is the logarithm of each operand, which was
originally obtained from a printed table. But Napier also
invented an alternative to tables, where the logarithm values
were carved on ivory sticks which are now called Napier's
Figure 2.2. Napier’s Bones Bones.

◄ Oughtred’s Slide Rule

Consists of movable bars with a precise scale, which uses
approximations for solving problems invented in 1632 in
England by William Ougthred.

Figure 2.3. Oughtred’s Slide rule

◄Schickard's Calculating Clock

The first gear-driven calculating machine to actually be built was
probably the calculating clock, so named by its inventor, the
German professor Wilhelm Schickard in 1623. This device got little
publicity because Schickard died soon afterward in the bubonic
plague.

Figure 2.4. Schickard's Calculating Clock

 ◄Pascaline
The first mechanical calculator (adding machines) that uses
cogged wheels; invented by Blaise Pascal, a French
Mathematician and philosopher.
Figure 2.5. Pascaline

◄Leibniz Calculator
He improved Pascaline which could multiply and divide;
invented by Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz a German lawyer.
It is made of copper and steel. Instead of gears, it employed
fluted drums having ten flutes arranged around their
circumference in a stair-step fashion.
Figure 2.6. Leibniz Calculator

◄ Babbage’s Difference and Analytical Engines

These engines embodied most of the design of modern
computers. The Difference Engine, which can compute
tables and the Analytical Engine which is completely
automatic and capable of calculating any mechanical
problems; invented by Charles Babbage.
Figure 2.7. Babbage’s Difference
and Analytical Engines

B. Electro-Mechanical Computers
These are devices powered by an electronic motor and use switches and relays.

◄ Hollerith’s Punch Card Machine. The first use of punched

cards to store data; developed by Herman Hollerith.

Figure 2.8. Hollerith’s Punch Card Machine

 ◄ Automatic Weaving Loom
Uses the concept of punched cards to control his looms;
invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard. Although it did no
computation based on them, it is considered an
important step in the history of computing hardware. The
ability to change the pattern of the loom's weave by
simply changing cards was an important conceptual
Figure 2.8. Hollerith’s Punch Card Machine precursor to the development of computer
programming.

C. Electronic Digital Computers

These are devices that use only electrical switches and circuitry instead of
mechanical relays. Their principal components are circuit boards, transistors or silicon
chips.

◄Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (MARK 1) The

first general-purpose electro-mechanical computer. It was the
first large-scale automatic digital computer in the USA. It is
considered by some to be the first universal calculator
invented by Howard Aiken.
Figure 2.8. Hollerith’s Punch Card Machine

◄ABC (Atanasoff-Berry-Computer) The first special

purpose digital computer that solves simultaneous
equations. It was developed by John Atanasoff.

Figure 2.9. ABC (Atanasoff-Berry-Computer)

◄ENIAC– Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator

The first fully electronic general-purpose digital computer ever
completed by John Eckert and John Mauchly.

Figure 2.10. ENIAC– Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator

 ◄EDVAC- Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic
Computer. The completely internally programmed
machine, it is simply the enhancement of ENIAC to
overcome its limitations.

Figure 2.11. EDVAC- Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer

◄EDSAC- Electronic Delay Storage Automatic

Computer. Also known as Electronic Binary Digital
Computer that uses binary representation of data
and internally stored program; developed by John
Eckert and John Presper

Figure 2.12. EDSAC- Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer

Generations of Computers

Generations of Computers

Fourth Fifth Generation

First Second Third
Generation (Present-
Generation Generation Generation
(1975- Beyond)
(1940-1956) (1956-1963) (1964-1975)
Present)

What is Computer generation?

Computer Generation refers to the change in technology that is used for a
computer during a time period. Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish
between varying hardware technologies. But nowadays, generation includes both
hardware and software, which together make up an entire computer system.
First Generation (1940-1956)
Hardware Software Key Characteristics Example of
Technologies Technologies Computer
 Machine  Bulky in size  ENIAC
language uses 0s  Highly unreliable  EDVAC
and 1s  Limited commercial  EDSAC
 Stored program use and costly  UNIVAC 1
Figure 2.13.
concept  Difficult commercial  IBM 701
Vacuum tubes
Mostly scientific production
applications  Difficult to use
 Processing speed:
milliseconds
Figure 2.14.
Electromagnetic
relay memory

 Punched cards
secondary
storage
Second (1956-1963)

 Assembly  Faster, smaller, more  Honeywell 400

Language reliable and easier to  IBM 7030
 Batch operating program than  IBM 1401
system previous generation  CDC 1604
Figure 2.15.
 High-level systems  UNIVAC LARC
Transistors
 Programming  Commercial
languages production was still
 Scientific and difficult and costly
commercial  Processing speed:
application microseconds
Figure 2.16.
Magnetic cores
memory
 Magnetic tapes
Disks for secondary
storage
Third (1964-1971)
  Timesharing  Faster, smaller, more  IBM 360/370
operating system reliable, easier and  PDP-8
 Standardization cheaper to produce  PDP-11
of high-level  Commercially, easier  CDC 6600
Figure 2.16. programming to use, and easier to
Integrated Circuits
(chips)
 Unbundling of upgrade than
software from previous generation
 ICs with SSI and hardware systems
MSI technologies  Scientific,
 Larger magnetic commercial and
cores memory interactive on-line
 Larger capacity applications
disks and  Processing speed:
magnetic tapes nanoseconds
secondary
storage
 Keyboard and
monitor
Minicomputers;
upward
compatible
family of
computers
Fourth (1971-present)

 Operating  Small, affordable,  IBM PC and its

systems for PCs reliable, and easy to clones
with GUI and use PCs  Apple II
multiple windows  More powerful and  TRS-80
on a single reliable mainframe  VAX 9000
Figure 2.17. terminal screen systems and  CRAY-1
Microprocessors or
 Multiprocessing supercomputers  CRAY-2
Large Scale IC
 CRAY-X/MP
 Microprocessors; OS with  Totally general
semiconductor concurrent purpose machines
memory programming  Easier to produce
 Larger capacity languages commercially
hard disks as in-  UNIX operating  Easier to upgrade
built secondary system with C  Rapid software
storage programming development
 Magnetic tapes language possible
and floppy disks  Object-oriented  Processing speed:
as portable design and picoseconds
storage media programming
 Pointing devices  PC, Network-
like mouse and based, and
handled devices supercomputing
 Personal applications
computers
 Supercomputers
based on parallel
vector processing
and symmetric
multiprocessing
technologies
Spread of high-
speed computer
networks

Fifth (present- beyond)

 ULSI technology
 Development of true artificial
intelligence
 Development of Natural language
processing
 Advancement in Parallel processing
 Advancement in Superconductor
Figure 2.18. Artificial Intelligent
technology
 Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI)
 More user friendly interfaces with
chips that are able to store millions of
multimedia features
components on a single chip Larger
 Availability of very powerful and
capacity main memory, hard disks with
compact computers at cheaper
RAID support
rates
 Optical disks as portable read-only
storage media
 Very large memory
 Notebooks, powerful desktop PCs and
workstations
 Powerful severs, supercomputers
 Internet
Cluster computing
Classification of Computers

A. According to Purpose
1. General-purpose digital computer. This is also called all-purpose digital
computer. It can be used for any type of application.
Ex.: Computers that are used for payroll, graphics, analysis, etc.
2. Special purpose digital computer. These computers designed to solve problems
of a restricted type i.e. designed to be especially efficient in a certain class of
applications.
Ex.: Embedded systems like ATM machines.

B. According to Data Handled

1. Analog Computers. Computers that are in which numerical
magnitudes are represented by physical quantities, such as electric
current, voltage or resistance, mechanical movements, pressure or
temperature. Analog computers accept data and then process it
to produce analog data.

Figure 2.19. Example of Analog

Computer (Donner 3000)

2. Digital Computers. Work with values that are in a discrete form (or data that can
be counted). They are used for business applications, and also
scientific operations, and are ideal when 100% accuracy is
desired, thus resulting to data that are exact in values.

Figure 2.20. Digital Computer

1. Hybrid Computers. This computer is the outcome of the integration of analog
computer components and digital components. This integration is
obtained by digital –to-analog converter and analog –to-digital
converter. These computers are usually used in space vehicle
simulation and training astronauts.

Figure 2.21. Example of Hybrid

Computer (DPD 45)
C. According to Capacity
Capacity refers to :
 amount of data that can be stored in memory;
 speed of internal operation of the other computer;
 capacity of storage devices; and
 number and types of peripheral devices.
1. Microcomputers
Small computers which are portable. Uses
microprocessor (the CPU on a chip), Read-Only
Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM).
It is sometimes known as a Single-Chip
Processor.Examples: Desktop and floor standing units,
Luggable,Laptops,Notebooks, Pocket PC’s and Pen
Figure 2.22. Desktop Computer
Computers.

2. Minicomputers
These are machines that are in the middle of
microcomputers and mainframes in terms of cost and
capability. Medium-capacity computer that is larger
than a microcomputer but smaller than most
mainframes. A minicomputer can handle a larger
amount of data than a microcomputer and can
perform most of the functions of a mainframe. These
acts as ‘servers’, which are connected to several
workstations or terminals.
Figure 2.23. Minicomputers

3. Mainframes.
The oldest category, air-cooled ,bigger in sizes,
about the size of a jeep and a powerful computer,
often serving many connected terminals and usually
used by large complex organizations like banks, airlines
and insurance companies that handles millions of
Figure 2.24. IBM 370 transactions.
2. Supercomputers
The biggest and fastest computers. They can
perform 50 million instructions per second and are used
in applications such as nuclear weapon development
and accurate weather forecasting. These are the
fastest calculating device ever invented.

Figure 2.25. IBM DEEP

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