Learning Activity 3: The Advent of Modern Days Computers The Von Neumann Machine : The task of entering and altering programs for the ENIAC was
extremely tedious. At the time when ENIAC was first in use, the person named Von Neumann
was the consultant on the ENIAC project, having a closer look at of ENIAC’s shortcomings he
forward advanced the stored program concept, the then new concept enabled the computer
to get its instruction by reading them from memory alongside the data and a program could
be set or altered by setting the values of a portion of a memory. Based on this concept, the
first true electronic computers were developed by the name EDVAC( Electronic Discrete
Variable Computer) and EDSAC( Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer).
Commercial Computers : The 1950s saw the birth of computers industry with two
companies, Sperry and IBM, dominating the market place. In 1947, Eckert and Mauchly
developed their successful commercial computer called UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic
Computer).
Generations of Computers : Although computer professionals do not agree on exact dates
or specifics, computer developments are often categorized by generations. Actually there are
four generations and major characteristics that distinguish these generations are the following;
• Dominant type of electronic circuit elements used.
• Major secondary storage media used.
• Computer language used.
• Types or characteristic of operating system used.
• Memory access time (time to store or retrieve a word or data from memory).
Computer generations are usually categorized by dramatic improvement in the hardware,
typically refold or better increases in speed and reliability.
