Introduction to Third Generation Computers
The third generation of computers, spanning from 1964 to 1971, introduced integrated circuits (ICs), revolutionizing computing by significantly reducing size, power consumption, and cost while enhancing performance. ICs, or microchips, allowed thousands of transistors to be packed into small silicon chips, enabling multiprogramming and broader accessibility. These advancements influenced not only computers but also modern devices like smartphones and calculators. This chapter explores the characteristics, history, inventions, key inventors, notable machines, advantages, disadvantages, and lasting impact of third-generation computers.
Characteristics of Third Generation Computers
Third-generation computers were defined by their use of integrated circuits, which brought significant improvements over transistor-based systems.
- Integrated Circuits: Silicon chips containing hundreds to thousands of microscopic transistors.
- Compact Size: Much smaller than previous generations, requiring less physical space.
- Reduced Heat: Emitted less heat, minimizing cooling requirements.
- Lower Power Consumption: More energy-efficient due to IC technology.
- Reliability: IC interconnections were more dependable than soldered connections.
- Minicomputers: Affordable, high-capacity systems suitable for smaller organizations.
- Multiprogramming: Enabled simultaneous execution of multiple processes in main memory.
- Teleprocessing: Supported data processing from remote terminals to a central unit.
- Peripheral Advances: Featured fast readers, 9-channel magnetic tapes, and reduced reliance on punched cards.
- High Performance: Achieved up to 5 million instructions per second and 2 MB memory capacity.
History of Third Generation Computers
The third generation began with the invention of integrated circuits in 1958, leading to significant milestones in computing:
- 1958: Jack St. Clair Kilby and Robert Noyce independently developed the integrated circuit, sparking a high-tech era.
- 1964: IBM announced the System/360, a mainframe using ICs, designed by Gene Amdahl. It unified commercial and scientific computing, influencing future computer designs.
- 1964: Control Data Corporation introduced the CDC 6600, the first supercomputer, capable of 1 megaflop performance.
- 1969: Intel’s Ted Hoff invented the microprocessor, further advancing IC technology.
- 1970s: Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) popularized minicomputers, targeting smaller markets ignored by IBM.
Other developments included new programming paradigms inspired by George Gamow’s work on DNA sequencing and the calculation of π to over 500,000 decimals.
Size of Third Generation Computers
The introduction of integrated circuits drastically reduced computer size compared to previous generations. While second-generation computers used transistors to shrink from vacuum tube systems, ICs allowed thousands to millions of transistors to fit within a few square millimeters. This miniaturization made computers more efficient, faster, and less heat-intensive, enabling their use in diverse environments without extensive cooling systems.
Inventions of Third Generation Computers
Integrated circuits were the hallmark of third-generation computing, with additional innovations enhancing functionality:
- Integrated Circuits (Microchips): Silicon-based semiconductors with multiple transistors printed via photolithography, offering low cost, high efficiency, and reliability.
- Microprocessor: Invented by Ted Hoff, it integrated CPU functions onto a single chip, laying the groundwork for personal computing.
- Minicomputers: Affordable, compact systems like the DEC PDP-8, broadening market access.
- Advanced Storage: 9-channel magnetic tapes and faster readers improved data handling.
- Operating Systems: Supported multiprogramming and time-sharing, enhancing user interaction.
ICs standardized computer designs, enabling their use in devices like calculators and early mobile phones.
Inventors of Third Generation Computers
- Jack St. Clair Kilby (1923–2005): Developed the first integrated circuit in 1958 at Texas Instruments, earning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000.
- Robert Noyce (1927–1990): Independently created an improved IC in 1959 at Fairchild Semiconductor, later co-founding Intel. Known as the “Mayor of Silicon Valley.”
- Ted Hoff (b. 1937): Invented the microprocessor in 1969 at Intel, revolutionizing computing architecture.
- Gene Amdahl (1922–2015): Chief architect of the IBM System/360, defining third-generation mainframe design.
- Seymour Cray (1925–1996): Designed the CDC 6600, the first supercomputer, for Control Data Corporation.
Featured Third Generation Computers
- IBM System/360 (1964): A groundbreaking mainframe using solid logic technology (SLT) ICs, selling over 30,000 units. It supported diverse applications and allowed scalable upgrades, influencing future designs. Notably, it was the first computer targeted by a virus.
- CDC 6600 (1964): The first supercomputer, designed by Seymour Cray, with a 60-bit CPU and 1 megaflop performance. Used primarily for nuclear physics research at CERN.
- DEC PDP-8 (1965): The first successful minicomputer, with a 16-bit architecture, making computing accessible to smaller organizations.
Advantages of Third Generation Computers
- Smaller size due to integrated circuits, enhancing portability.
- Faster processing, reducing computation times from microseconds to nanoseconds.
- Lower cost compared to second-generation systems, broadening adoption.
- High reliability and performance due to IC technology.
- Large storage capacity, up to 2 MB of main memory.
- Supported keyboards and monitors for input/output, replacing punched cards.
- Advanced operating systems enabled multiprogramming and time-sharing.
- User-friendly interfaces allowed operation by non-technical users.
Disadvantages of Third Generation Computers
- Air conditioning still required in some cases for heat management.
- Complex and costly manufacturing processes for IC chips.
- Maintenance of ICs was challenging due to their intricacy.
Impact and Legacy of Third Generation Computers
Third-generation computers transformed the computing landscape by making systems smaller, faster, and more affordable. The IBM System/360 set a standard for scalable, versatile mainframes, influencing modern computer architecture. Minicomputers like the DEC PDP-8 democratized computing, enabling smaller businesses and research labs to adopt technology. Integrated circuits became the foundation for all subsequent electronic devices, from personal computers to smartphones. The introduction of multiprogramming and user-friendly interfaces laid the groundwork for modern operating systems, while supercomputers like the CDC 6600 advanced scientific research, shaping the digital age.
Questions
Note: The provided content did not include explicit questions for this unit. The following questions are derived from the context to align with the format of previous chapters.
- What are third generation computers?
- What are the characteristics of third generation computers?
- What are the advantages of third generation computers?
- What are the disadvantages of third generation computers?
- Who were the key inventors of third generation computers?
- What are some notable third generation computers?
- How did third generation computers impact the development of modern computing?
- What role did integrated circuits play in third generation computers?
- What advancements in storage and programming were introduced in third generation computers?