The Use of Second Generation Computers
Second-generation computers refers to the computers that were manufactured and used from 1956 to 1963. Unlike computers which were used earlier, computers that were manufactured in this period were equipped with a transistor instead of vacuum tubes, which were used earlier. These second-generation computers were used in different applications.
Other People Are Reading
-
Transistors
-
Transistors were invented in the laboratory run by William Shockley. Transistors, which were invented in 1948, are made of a semiconductor material that can amplify signals or open and close circuits. All microprocessors contain millions of micro transistors. The use of transistors enabled computer manufacturers to produce smaller computers, which were cheaper and could spend less electric power compared with earlier versions. So appreciated was the invention that Shockley was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Utilities and Programs
-
Second-generation computers started having some modern utilities still being used today. They had operating systems, which made operating a lot easier, as programs could be changed instantly. Processing financial data became convenient. Disc storage options and printers were added to the computer technology. Instructions and programs could be stored in the memory of the computer.
-
Atomic Energy Industry
-
The first machines using this transistor technology were used in the atomic energy industry. These computers provided atomic scientists with huge capabilities, allowing them to store huge amounts of information and data. Machine language was replaced with the assembly language, which was easier and shorter than the code used before. These second-generation computers enabled scientists to fly into space in the 1960s.
Business and Government Use
-
Initially, second-generation computers were too expensive for business use. However, as years went by and they became cheaper, many businesses began to use them for their financial information processing. Programs could also print invoices, calculate paychecks for the workers and design products. Some of the companies that manufactured these second-generation computers included IBM, Honeywell, Burroughs and Sperry-Rand.
-
