Generations of computers applied to information work

Abstract

In the evolution of computer generations three distinct stages can be well differentiated till date. However, beside technical characteristics, the analysis of structural and functional changes caused by the application of the various generations of computers seems to be more important for the information systems manager. Namely, in respect of computer applications the succession of computer generations is not to be felt very definitely: in many cases the character of the application lags behind the level of the technology, because of reasons beyond computation techniques. Author compares the application of computers to management information systems with their application to bibliographic information and summarizes the characteristics of the applications of the various generations.