The history of computers is, of course, really fascinating. As in many other situations, the evolution is such that , knowing what we have today, it seems unthinkable that these devices come from where they come .
This time we are going to talk about the third generation of computers , although, you should know that there are a total of six and that you can read about all of them on our website, both in the post about generation of computers as, of course, in which we have written so that you know more, separately, about each one of them.
In any case, under these words you will know what happened in the computer sector between 1964 and 1971, which are what mark this period . See all computer generations in full.
Index:
What characteristics define the third generation of computers?
As in each generation, there is a main milestone that occurs in 1965 and that is what leads us to define the coming years. In addition, we find some others that make these six years can be perfectly defined as a proper moment in computing.
- The main feature that we have to mention, of course, is the integration of silicon pickup circuits as an information processing method . These packaged logic gate, oscillator and amplifier, as well as many miniature transistors . They go on to unseat the transistors which, in turn, were the ones that marked the second generation.
- Their introduction was a more capable processing .
- Al at the same time, also reduced the size of the computers .
- They are joined in the same element, the chip , components such as diodes, transistors and capacitors .
- It still works with memories of magnetic rings.
- The cost of this equipment was considerably lower, being able to say, finally, that these devices become commercial use .
- Obviously effectively, processes such as teleprocessing (data processing from a central unit) or multiprogramming (hosting several processes in main memory to run at the same time by the processor).
- In general, machines are much more reliable and flexible.
- Podem I already speak of a « software industry «.
What was the evolution and history of the 3rd generation of computers?
As we have indicated, this period begins in 1964 with the introduction of the integrated circuit to combine different elements of the machines and the replacement of transistors as the only method to process the information given immediately afterwards.
We see it for the first time in a IBM family of computers , which was the main computing corporation of the moment, the Edgar series, better known as 360 . These devices had a sales success such that their contribution to the sector is the most important in history so far.
With this new element the devices were able to work on tasks of different kinds , which meant that they were more flexible when it came to the inclusion of programs, and many computer models could be standardized.
We see that a lot of work is being done in the development of new programming languages so that they are more in line with the new features of the devices, having a new syntax and being easier to understand. The most characteristic were BASIC and L6 .
In this little piece of history we can see how the minicomputers can be seen , considering a different product to the computers due, of course, to their size and volume, which made these machines much more “manageable” and versatile elements.
The mouse begins to develop in the middle of the decade and its presentation in 1968 makes the machines easier to use and therefore more demanded by a greater number of people .
Magnetic memory, floppy disk, readers, floppy disk are also invented … the first pocket calculator and the hypertext system are presented, the Da Vinci mechanical calculator is represented and It works on the laser printer. UNIX and C appear .
In 1968, the concept of «personal computer» was discussed, as a result of the great previous development that allowed for a much smaller size of the equipment as well as greater versatility and possibilities of that. A year later appears what is considered by many as the first of these devices, the SCAMP, from IBM.
It is in this year that Intel emerges, with the clear objective of designing chips , being one of its partners Noyce, which improved the design of the integrated circuit, so that it was, without a doubt, the which made the company an incomparable success (so much so that it is, for most, the first that comes to mind if we ask for a brand related to computer parts).
In 1969 there was the emergence of ARPANET , which was a precursor to the current internet. A few months later the fiber optic cable is produced. By the time the integrated circuits had developed greatly having reduced their size, they included the so-called MOS technology and became cheaper.
Best inventors of the third generation of computers
There are five prominent personalities of the so-called third generation of computers:
Jack St. Clair Kilby and Robert Norton Noyce
Kilby was the one who, in 1959, develops the integrated circuit. Noyve did the same with its own creation that solved the problems of the previous design in just six months.
Ted Hoff
Ted Hoff is the engineer who invented the microprocessor in 1969 . Indeed, you have not read anything about this element because it is not part of the events that mark this third computational story. Although, this invention was a before and after years later and, of course, although we will talk about it when appropriate, we cannot forget that its invention occurred within the second generation, although after profiling and beginning to use. / p>
Thomas Kurtz and John Kemeny
Again we find two personalities who really did not offer anything revolutionary in this generation but that it was in it that they invented something that would be a success years later.
Scientist and professor, both worked in 1964 to develop BASIC , a programming language that surely you know very well and that, without a doubt, was the protagonist in the programming of the microcomputers that were to arrive as well as in a minicomputer of the time.
What featured computers appeared in the 3rd generation of computers?
As for the main computers of this era, we have the following:
Edgar series
The Edgar or 360 Series is a set of IBM computers that make the transition between this generation and the previous one . It was the first to include integrated circuits in its market machines . The impact of these and what their commercialization supposed are such that their importance in history is incalculable.
From this series, knowing that all the devices ran the same software, although they differed in the rest of the features, so that they adapted to different needs, which made sales a precedent in the sector.
PDP-8
It was considered the first minicomputer that the company was able to acquire , launched in 1965. It comes from the hand of DEC and 500,000 copies were sold.
Supported Basic, Fortran II / IV, Focal 71 and C ++ as programming languages and worked with macros to be able to implement more advanced logical operations than they used to sell commercially.
PDP-11
Another large machine (minicomputer type) of the PDP series of DEC that began to be marketed at the end of this generation and that remained profitable in the market for a whole decade .
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It stands out for being the first in which its main elements were interconnected in a single bus that, in addition, was asynchronous (UNIBUS). The result was the sending, receiving and exchange of information with other devices without the need for an intermediate step in memory.
So important was that when the microprocessors were introduced ( milestone of the fourth generation ), this device was not obsolete but was modified to have these .
CDC 6600
It does not cause any revolution like the previous case but, without a doubt, it is the most powerful supercomputer launched during these six years , capable of properly following three million instructions in a second . This is possible thanks to a 60-bit processor and its 10 peripheral units. It is used by CERN to conduct research related to nuclear energy.