The Second Generation Computer 1956-1953
First Transistor
Although the Second Generation Computer did not have a long journey like the First Generation it did bring the first significant changes to the computer. John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain invented the transistor in 1947 to replace the vacuum tubes for the rest of computer history.
The transistor had improved the computer in many different ways, it was faster, smaller, and more reliable and affordable. These advantages gave the transistor more popularity and the transition from vacuum tubes was inevitable. The materials used to produce transistors were inexpensive as well as the production costs. Its small size allowed transistors to generated less heat than vacuum tubes, the transistor changed the evolution of computers leading to the present day computer.
The transistor had improved the computer in many different ways, it was faster, smaller, and more reliable and affordable. These advantages gave the transistor more popularity and the transition from vacuum tubes was inevitable. The materials used to produce transistors were inexpensive as well as the production costs. Its small size allowed transistors to generated less heat than vacuum tubes, the transistor changed the evolution of computers leading to the present day computer.
Sources:
http://www.ptc.dcs.edu/Moody/comphistory/comphistory_print.html
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/FiveGenerations.asp
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