History and Future of Computer Technology
History and Future of Computer Technology History and Future of Computer Technology Part 1: Navigating Through the History of Computer Generations 1.1 First Generation (1940s - 1950s) The first generation of computers, characterized by the use of vacuum tubes, marked a monumental leap forward in human innovation. These early computers were marvels of engineering, but they were far from perfect. Vacuum tubes were prone to overheating and frequent failures, leading to significant downtime and maintenance challenges. Despite these limitations, the development of the ENIAC by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946 paved the way for unprecedented computational capabilities. The ENIAC was designed to calculate artillery firing tables for the United States Army during World War II, a task that previously required months of man