First+Generation+Computers

First Generation Computers (1939-1956)

After years of using mechanical computers it wasn't until the era before and after World War 2, that the development of electronic circuits that could replace mechanical parts permmited the era of modern computing. During this era many computers appeared but it wasnt until 1945 that the first general purpose computer was built.



ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) created by the United States was the first computer to combine the high speed of electronics with the ability to be programmed for many complex problems. Some characteristics of this first generation of computers were that the temporary or working storage was provided by acoustic delay lines, which used the propagation time of sound through a medium such as liquid mercury (or through a wire) to briefly store data. Vacuum tubes were also used. But the one characteristic that no one can miss was their size. as this computers needed huge rooms in were to be built.

Eckert and Mauchly saw limitations in ENIAC and developed EVAC wich was the first computer the programs and working data were stored in a single, unified store.

Second GenerationComputers