2nd Generation (1956-1963)-Transistors

2^nd Generation (1956-1963)-Transistors

            Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and used in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 50s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tubes, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable then their first generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched card for input and printout for output.

               Second-generation computers moved form cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, language, which allowed programming to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved form a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology. The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.