First-generation computers were the earliest computers to be built and were used primarily from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. They were characterized by their use of vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory. Here are some key features and examples
These were used to perform calculations and switch operations. They were large, consumed a lot of electricity, and generated a lot of heat.
Used for memory storage, these were an early form of computer memory that allowed for data to be read and written.
Input and output were often handled using these methods.
First-generation computers typically operated in batch processing mode, where jobs were processed one at a time.
These computers were enormous, taking up entire rooms.
Often considered the first general-purpose electronic digital computer, ENIAC was completed in 1945 and could perform a variety of calculations.
Developed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, it was delivered in 1951 and was the first commercially available computer.
Introduced in 1952, it was IBM's first commercial scientific computer.
These computers laid the groundwork for the development of subsequent generations, transitioning from vacuum tubes to transistors, which significantly improved reliability and efficiency.
