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characteristics   Use of the integrated circuit(IC) was the hallmark of the third-generation computers.  Transistors were made small in size and put and put on silicon chips called semiconductors.This increased the speed and efficiency of the computers. Users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors. Operating systems were developed.       -----------------------------------------------------                The development of ICs gave birth                to a new field of microelectronics.                It was first developed by T S Kilby .                --------------------------------------------------------            Altair Computers began to be used widely as they became cheaper and smaller.  examples of third generation computers Altair, the first personal computer, was developed in 1974.  

Characteristics transistors Transistors replaced vacuum tubes. computers became faster, smaller, cheaper and more efficient. they still generated a lot of heat. instructions were stored in the memory. Magnetic disk storage was developed during this period. input was still in the form of punched cards. output was in the form of printouts. magnetic disk programming was done in assembly language where instructions were given in words. examples of second generation computers IBM 700 and 1401 ATLAS IBM 700    

After the early counting machines, the development of the computers took place in five distinct phases known as generations of computers.Each generation witnessed major technological developments resulting in smaller, cheaper and more powerful devices. first generation of computers(1940-56) characteristics vacuum tube  The first generation computers used vacuum tubes for cv circuitry magnetic drums   Magnetic drums were used for memory  Magnetic drubs were enormous machine taking up entire rooms.  They were very expensive, used a great deal of electricity and generated a lot of heat. machine language was used to program. input was based on punched cards. output was in the form of printouts. Examples of first generation computers Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC) Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC) Electric Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC)