CO1201: Introduction to Computer Systems

Evolution of Computer Systems

• Computer systems have transformed from manual counting and paper calculations to sophisticated digital machines.
• The evolution includes advancements in the Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory technologies, multicore, MICS, GPU, and embedded systems.

Early Computer Tools

• Initial tools for computation included manual counting and the abacus, representing humanity's first attempts at calculation.
• The need for computers arose from handling large datasets and performing complex calculations efficiently.

Generations of Computers

First Generation Computers

• Utilized vacuum tubes for circuitry and memory storage.
• ENIAC: Built in 1946, capable of 5,000 additions per second; comprised 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing 30 tons, and occupying 1,500 square feet.
• Von Neumann Machine: Developed in 1946, known as the IAS computer; introduced the stored-program concept.
• UNIVAC I: First commercial computer created in 1947 by Eckert and Mauchly; focused on matrix and statistical computations.
• IBM 701: Launched in 1952, featured electronic stored-program and punch card inputs.

Second Generation Computers

• Transitioned to using transistors instead of vacuum tubes, leading to smaller and cheaper machines with reduced heat output.
• Notable systems included PDP-1 by DEC (1957) marking the onset of mini-computers and IBM 7094, which increased memory and instruction codes significantly.

Third Generation Computers

• Employed Integrated Circuits (ICs) that combined transistors and other components into a single unit.
• Benefits included reduced size, cost savings, increased operating speed, and improved reliability.
• IBM System/360: Released in 1964, showcasing advancements in speed, memory, and I/O ports.
• PDP-8: Introduced by DEC in 1964 as a compact, lab-friendly computer.

Fourth and Later Generations

• Characterized by using densely packed ICs and the introduction of microprocessors.
• Intel 4004: The first microprocessor developed in 1971, integrating all CPU components; followed by the Intel 8008 (8-bit).
• Advancements in microarchitecture led to Pentium Pro (1995) and Core i7 EE 990 (2011), demonstrating increasing transistor counts.

Moore’s Law

• Predicts that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years, driving technology advancements.

Fifth Generation (2010-Present)

• Focuses on superconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and parallel processing.
• Future technologies anticipated include nanotechnology and quantum computation.

Evolution of Memory

• Early memory devices included core memory made of tiny ferromagnetic rings, used during the 1950s and 1960s.