How many stages are there in computer development? In what era?

Computer I * * * has four stages of development, namely:

1 generation: electronic tube digital machine (1946— 1958)

In hardware, the logic element is vacuum tube, and the main memory is mercury delay line, cathode ray oscilloscope electrostatic memory, magnetic drum and magnetic core. External storage uses magnetic tape. The software uses machine language and assembly language. The application fields are mainly military and scientific computing.

Disadvantages are large volume, high power consumption and poor reliability. It is slow (usually thousands to tens of thousands of times per second) and expensive, but it lays the foundation for the future development of computers.

The second generation: transistor digital computer (1958— 1964)

The application fields of operating system, high-level language and its compiler in software mainly focus on scientific calculation and transaction processing, and begin to enter the field of industrial control. Its characteristics are smaller size, lower energy consumption, higher reliability, faster operation speed (generally 654.38+ million times per second, up to 3 million times), and its performance is better than that of 654.38+0 generation computers.

Third Generation: Integrated Circuit Digital Machine (1964— 1970)

In terms of hardware, small and medium-sized integrated circuits (MSI, SSI) are used as logic elements, and the magnetic core is still used as main memory. In terms of software, there are time-sharing operating systems and structured and large-scale programming methods.

It is characterized by faster speed (usually millions to tens of millions of times per second), significantly improved reliability, further reduced price, and products moving towards universality, serialization and standardization. The application field began to enter the field of word processing and graphic image processing.

Fourth Generation: Large Scale Integrated Circuit Computer (1970 to present)

In terms of hardware, logic elements are large-scale and very large-scale integrated circuits (LSI and VLSI). In software, database management system, network management system and object-oriented language have appeared. 197 1 year, the world's first microprocessor was born in silicon valley, which opened a new era of microcomputers. The application fields are gradually moving from scientific calculation, transaction management and process control to family.

The application of computer in information management;

Information management is a computer technology based on database management system, which helps managers improve their decision-making level and business strategy. Information processing includes a series of work such as data collection, storage, processing, classification, collation, retrieval and release. Information processing has become the main task of modern computers.

The application of computer has penetrated into all fields of society, changed the traditional way of working, studying and living, and promoted the scientific calculation of society.

Scientific calculation is the earliest application field of computer, which refers to the use of computers to complete numerical calculation problems raised in scientific research and engineering technology. In the work of modern science and technology, the task of scientific calculation is huge and complicated.

Using the computer's high computing speed, large storage capacity and continuous computing ability, we can solve various scientific computing problems that can't be completed manually. Such as engineering design, earthquake prediction, weather prediction, etc. Requires computers to perform huge and complex calculations.