PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT 91

data and infonnation used in the real world is in analog fonn. The analog data from the
is converted into binary fonn before it is processed. The output of the processing is also
,I digital fonn which has to be converted into the analog fonn so that it is intelligible.
, pral purpose digital computer was called ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
:loped at the University of Pennsylvania. It was a very huge machine and it did not
,

. Von Neuman was one of the chief architects of ENIAC computer. In ENIAC; the data
were stored in different memories. The computer's abilities to call in instructions and
'i,. follow them were known as the stored program concept. John Von Neuman introduced
" ':h led to computers, with greater versatility in programming. The computer's ability
'Lons into its memory from a disc, tape or other sources before any data is processed
computer's copying ability. This copying ability also enables computers to directly
ing of the first instruction in the program. By program we mean the set of instructions
~fo1lowed in a sequence, that is, one after the other. Because of its copying ability, the
hold the instructions in its memory from where, the first instruction is copied to the
"circuit and match against the built-in set of instructions. Once the matching is found,
, ;sing is done, otherwise, the processing comes to an abnonnal end. This ability enables
to execute the instructions of a program sequentially unit it finds GOTO instruction that
to different place(s) in the program. This feature gave facility to the computer to execute
instructions over and over again on the same set of data or on a new set of data. The latest
'ter systems is overlapping of the operation of instructions. While one program is waiting
toIn the user, the operating system directs the computer to simultaneously process another
.m which data is available. Large computers are usually designed to allow input and output
'limultaneously with the processing. This feature also allows the computer, while processing
's data, to simultaneously, data from next user in queue can be retrieve the data from the next
'the queue. Based upon the technological advancement and areas of application, the evolution of
computer system may undergo several generations with truly amazing features.

ttion, ~'first generation of computers is said to have started in 1945. This generation may be marked with
nical
dno '~arance of UNIV AC~ 1 in 1950 where vacuum tubes were used, and their memory were made of
iults. tubes of liquid mercury and magnetic drums. Generally the period of the first generation is
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I the counted ,a 1945 to 1955. Most of the computer systems developed in this period used vacuum tubes.
~t of Most
ions .t~ computer systems developed during this period were mM 701, mM 704, mM 709. During this
l1in ~oo, the stored program concept was introduced by Von Neuman. His idea was basically to store the
esin uction program in a separate memory. The high cost of memory, because of the high cost of
lely, ~facuum tubes, had discouraged the manufacturers from using vacuum tubes for the
'gbly revolutionary one as a new technology called transistor was introduced in 1959. The new
'

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memory. Instead,
'
'
the
technology
jectrostaticofmemories
~ transistorswere
replaced thestore
used to vacuum tubeintechnology
the data and itof
this generation used ferrite core for memory.
computers.
for .
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md by f'
,Ct The size of computers was considerably reduced on account of using transistors.
second generation of computers lasted from 1955 to 1965. This period is considered The transistors
to be a were
~ is made from gennanium semiconductor material and they were also more reliable and faster than
~ vacuum tubes. The second generation of computers marked a decisive breakthrough in the development of

computer technology. Significant computer systems like mM-1401, Honeywell-8oo, mM 1620, PDP