First Generation of Computers - JSS1 Computer Sudies Lesson Note

The first generation of computers, spanning the late 1930s to the early 1950s, marked a significant leap in the evolution of computing technology. These early computers were characterized by the use of vacuum tubes as their primary electronic components. Vacuum tubes were large, fragile, and generated significant heat, limiting the size and efficiency of these machines.

One iconic example of the first generation is the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), completed in 1945. ENIAC was a massive machine, occupying a large room and consisting of over 17,000 vacuum tubes. It was designed for complex mathematical calculations and played a crucial role in tasks such as artillery trajectory calculations during World War II.

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Programming the first-generation computers was a complex and labor-intensive process. Programmers had to physically rewire the machines to change their functionality, a time-consuming and error-prone task. Input was often provided through punched cards or paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts or electronic panels.

Despite their limitations, the first-generation computers represented a monumental shift from manual computation to electronic calculation. They were pivotal in advancing scientific research, numerical analysis, and complex computations, laying the groundwork for subsequent generations of computers that would continue to evolve and transform the technological landscape.