t common problems caused by the temperature was tube burnout. This was a frequent occurrence and caused headaches for the owners of the computers (Capron).The second-generation computers designed by scientists contained transistors. A transistor is a device that transfers electronic signals across a resistor. The transistor revolutionized the electronic industry. This helped the computer industry to make smaller computers that used less energy and were much faster. Since the computers used less energy, they produced less heat. This reduced most of the heat related problems that the vacuum tubes produced (Capron). The invention of the silicon chip propelled the computers industry into the next generation. The silicon chips were used to develop integrated circuit chips. Scientists hailed these chips as a generational breakthrough because they had reliability, compactness, and low cost. These chips started replacing transistors in 1965 in computers. This made the computer even more reliable, cheaper, and a machine that everyone wanted (Capron).The forth-generation was an extension of the third generation. Since the development of the IC circuit, scientists created special chips for memory, logic, and data paths. During these developments the microprocessor was born. The microprocessor is a general-purpose processor on a chip. They are in everything from cars, copying machines, and televisions to bread-making machines, telephones, and stereos (Capron).Scientists are always trying to build a faster and more reliable computer. They are also expanding the uses of the computer to include many things such as the Internet. The challenge to find a better method of computing is always happening. Maybe one day the computer will be able to take care of itself....
