Aspects that have changed over generations | ||||
| FIRST (early 50's) | SECOND (late 50's) | THIRD (60's) | FOURTH (70's +) | |
Technology | vacuum tubes | Transistors | IC | Microchips (LSI, VLSI) |
Size | relatively larger than transistors. so vacuum tube computers occupied with large room spaces | Smaller than vacuum tubes but larger than ICs. | It is very very small in size . reduced the size of computer | Very small chips contained many of ICs. more reduced the size of computer |
Capacity | Low capacity | higher capacity than vacuum tubes. lower than IC capacity | High capacity | Very High capacity |
Speed | Lower speed | They were much faster than tubes | high speed | very high speed |
External storage | cards | Tape | magnetic disks | mass storage |
Efficiency | Less efficient | Transistor was much more efficient as a switch when compared with tubes | Has very higher efficiency | Has very higher efficiency |
| Accuracy | As they consumed huge amounts of electrical power it generated a massive amount of heat. Because of these reasons the tube failed frequently. | They were much more reliable when compared to the vacuum tubes | much more reliable when compared to the Transistors | much more reliable when compared to the other chips |
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