What was the main reason why the first generation of computers were large in size, high in power consumption, and low in performance?

The first generation of computers were large in size, high in power consumption, and low in performance. The main reason was that they were restricted by "components". The main electronic component of the first generation computer (1946-1957) was the electron tube. Its main characteristics were large size, high power consumption, heavy weight, low performance, and high cost. The main reason was that it was limited by the components used.

The operating environment of this tutorial: Windows 7 system, Dell G3 computer.

The first generation of computers were large in size, consumed much power and had low performance. The main reason was that they were restricted by "components".

The first generation of computers refers to the electron tube computers from 1946 to 1957.

Electronic tube computers use electron tubes as basic electronic components. Its main characteristics are large size, high power consumption, heavy weight, low performance, and high cost. The main reason is that it is limited by the components.

During this period, there was no system software, and machine language and assembly language were used for programming; programs transitioned from hand-coded machine instruction programs to symbolic languages. Computers can only be used in a few cutting-edge fields, generally used for scientific, military and financial calculations.

The first generation of electronic computers was the beginning of the revolutionary development of computing tools. The basic technical ideas it adopted such as binary system and program storage laid the foundation of modern electronic computer technology.

The role of the first generation of computers:

The characteristic of the first generation of computers is that the operating instructions are compiled for specific tasks, and each machine has its own different machine Language, functionality is limited, and speed is slow. Another distinctive feature is the use of vacuum tubes and magnetic drums to store data. The first electron tube computer (ENIAC) occupied an area of ​​170 square meters, weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 electron tubes. It was calculated in decimal system and performed 5,000 operations per second. Due to the large size of the electron tubes, high power consumption, severe heat generation, short lifespan, and poor power utilization, the first electron tube computer (ENIAC) The memory has the disadvantages of low efficiency, fragile structure and the need for a high-voltage power supply. The memory uses mercury delay lines. During this period, there was no system software and machine language and assembly language were used for programming. Computers can only be used in a few cutting-edge fields, generally used for scientific, military and financial calculations. Most of its uses have been basically replaced by solid-state device transistors. However, electron tubes have strong load capacity, better linear performance than transistors, and better working characteristics than transistors in high-frequency and high-power fields, so they still continue to play an irreplaceable role in some places (such as high-power radio transmitting equipment).

As the first generation of computers, it is a type of computer that connects the past and the next. Promote the development of computers.

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