11.9.3.2 - THE NEW GENERATION OF COMPUTERS

Around early fifties the analog approach was overtaken by the rapide pace of de digital concept. Further on the improved technology arose several new programming languages as: the binary automatic computer, or “BINAC”, the electronic automatic computer or “SEAC” as well as a very large scale data-processing system based on storage tubes and magnetic-tape sotrage as know as “BIZMAC”. Toward mid fifties engineers realized that digital computing techniques were needed for the real-time analysis and as a result of such new trend in the computer science was a 5000 valves, 11000 diodes built machine that operated on 15 binary digits, christened as “Whirlwind” system.
Improvement in the magnetic-core technology offered large, fast and economical memory to computer designers and it revolutionized their work. The commercial development of the computer soon turned into one of the most spirited competitions in the electronic industry arising a core of manufacturers, which among the most relevant ones are: the British Ferranti Ltd delivering one of the first commercial computer, the Mark I system; Remington Rand developed its universal automatic computer, or “UNIVAC”, a serial synchronous machine that operated at 2.25 MHz rate and contained around 5000 thermionic valves. IBM, International Business Machine, launched the parallel synchronous computer model 701, which employed 4000 valves and 12000 Germanium diodes operating with a master clock frequency of 1 MHz.
Since its invention in 1948, it is interesting to note it took almost ten years for the industry joined the switch to transistor logic circuits. Thus, the American compnay, Control Data Corporation made the model 1605. It was one of the first solid-state computers ever made, which employed circa 25000 transistors as well as 100000 diodes. The machine was equipped with magnetic-core storage also. In spite of so many technological innovations the electronic calculator was still extremely expensive. In later sixties engineers concentrated their efforts to lower the price range of computers by announcing the development of the first programmed data processor, the type PDP-1.
As aforementioned all over the entire fifties efforts were concentrated almost in the improvement of the computer hardware. Therefore, one problem plaguing the computer industry at the end of the 1950s was the lack of standard programming languages.
Back early in 1957 the industry was already looking forward for reliable proposal to be used in the preparation of programs for electronic digital computers. In this way very soon it was developed the first microprogramming languages using algebraic notation and algorithms, which the most representatives one are indicated in the following Table 5.

TABLE 5 - COMPUTER PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES DEVELOPED IN EARLY FIFTIES
DATE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT OBS.
1957 FORTRAN EUA IBM FORTRAN = FORMULA TRANSITION
1958 FLOWMATIC EUA UNIVAC  
1959 ALGOL EUA / GERMANY ACM/GAAM ACM= ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINES
GAAM= GERMAN ASSOCIATION FOR APPLIED MATHEMATICS
1959 COBOL EUA US ARMED FORCES COBOL = COMON BUSINESS ORIENTED LANGUAGE

The continuous advancements in the solid-state technology around mid-sixties led to the launching of the first integrated circuits. When compared with the transistor, the IC was lower in size, faster in signal
Fig 359 - A modern computer using last generation microprocessors.

processing as well as an energy saver.

Those advantages dramatically changed the computing
Fig 359A - A modern computer as known as laptop, provided with LCD video monitor screen.
science by decreasing even more the size of the hardware. The fourth generation of computer appeared around 1982 by the introduction of more advanced integrated circuits as known as VLSI - Very Large Scale Integrationg - operating in conjunction with more elaborated programming languaes, which gave birth of the modern personal computer. Fig 359
It is just amazing that after 40 years since the pioneering researches of Astnasoff the modern computer was duly incorporated in the modern society. In the reality it was an incredible invention due to the mankind perennial search for a better world.