Generations of computer systems

The 1st-generation computer systems (beginning approximately in 1950) employed vacuum tubes as the primary switching component in the processor. Memories were constructed of liquid mercury delay lines or magnetic drums (BESM-1, MINSK-1, IBM 650 are examples).

The 2nd-generation systems began around the late 1950's and used transistors instead of vacuum tubes and memories were made of magnetizable cores (BESM-4 and 6, MINSK-32, M-220, IBM 1401 are examples). Size was reduced and reliability was improved significantly in the 2nd-generation systems. The 2nd generation was primarily a batch processing-environment with a single program running at one time.

The 3rd-generation computers beginning in the middle of 1960s introduced processors made of integrated circuits (ES-1033, -1045, M-6000, NAIRI-3, SM-3, IBM-360 and 370 are examples). The 3rd generation also introduced system software technologies like Operating Systems and Data Base Management Systems. On-line systems were widely developed throughout the 3rd generation, although most processing was still batch oriented.

The 4th generation is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Starting in the middle of 1970s the 4th-generation computer logic and memory were built almost entirely of chips which contain extremely large numbers of electronic components. The 4th generation embraces extensive integration of small and large computers together in a distributed processing environment. (The examples of the 4G computers in our country are ES-1065, NAIRI-4, ELEKTRONIKA-60, ISKRA-1256 etc.)

The 5th generation ought to become formalized by 1990s. VLSI and SLSI technologies will put mainframes on everyone’s desk. Optical fibers, videodisks and technologies now in the research labs will be used to construct the 5th-generation computer systems. Artificial intelligence techniques will be incorporated into every type of application. By the turn of the century a computer should be able to converse rather intelligently with a person.

Notes:

as the primary switching component – в качестве первичного переключающего элемента

liquid mercury delay lines – линии задержки на жидкой ртути

a batch processing environment – функциональные средства пакетной обработки

operating systems – операционные системы

on-line systems – системы, работающие от ЦПУ

a distributed processing environment – функциональные средства распределенной обработки

the 4G = the 4th generation – четвертое поколение

mainframes – зд. большие компьютеры

optical fibers – оптические волокна

artificial intelligence – искусственный интеллект