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The first computer to implement Von Neumann's idea was the EDVAC in 1951, developed in a project led by Von Neumann himself. At the same time a computer using stored programs was developed in England, called the EDSAC
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The second generation of computing took place between 1957 and 1965. Computers were now implementing transistors, which had been invented in 1947 by a group of reseachers at Bell Laboratories, instead of vacuum tubes.
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The third generation of computing spanned from 1965 to 1975. During this time integrated circuits with transistors, resistors, and capacitors were etched onto a piece of silicon. This reduced the price and size of computers, adding to a general trend in the computer industry of miniaturization.
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The fourth generation of computing spanned from 1975 to 1985. Computer technology had advanced so rapidly that computers could fit in something the size of a typewriter.
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The changes that have occurred since 1985 are plentiful. Computers have gotten tinier, more reliable, and many times faster. Computers are mostly built using components from many different corporations.
