Computer Motherboard and Generations

The motherboard serves as a single platform to connect all of the parts of a computer together. It connects the CPU, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video card, sound card, and other ports and expansion cards directly or via cables. It can be considered as the backbone of a computer.

Features of Motherboard
Motherboard varies greatly in supporting various types of components.

Motherboard supports a single type of CPU and few types of memories.

Video cards, hard disks, sound cards have to be compatible with the motherboard to function properly.

Motherboards, cases, and power supplies must be compatible to work properly together.

Popular Manufacturers.
Intel
ASUS
AOpen
ABIT
Biostar
Gigabyte
MSI

Description of Motherboard
The motherboard is mounted inside the case and is securely attached via small screws through pre-drilled holes. Motherboard contains ports to connect all of the internal components. It provides a single socket for CPU, whereas for memory, normally one or more slots are available. Motherboards provide ports to attach the floppy drive, hard drive, and optical drives via ribbon cables. Motherboard carries fans and a special port designed for power supply.
There is a peripheral card slot in front of the motherboard using which video cards, sound cards, and other expansion cards can be connected to the motherboard.
On the left side, motherboards carry a number of ports to connect the monitor, printer, mouse, keyboard, speaker, and network cables. Motherboards also provide USB ports, which allow compatible devices to be connected in plug-in/plug-out fashion. For example, pen drive, digital cameras, etc.

Generations

Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a computer is/was being used. Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies. Nowadays, generation includes both hardware and software, which together make up an entire computer system.

There are five computer generations known till date. Each generation has been discussed in detail along with their time period and characteristics. In the following table, approximate dates against each generation has been mentioned, which are normally accepted.

Following are the main five generations of computers.
1    First Generation
The period of first generation: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.

2    Second Generation
The period of second generation: 1959-1965. Transistor based.

3    Third Generation
The period of third generation: 1965-1971. Integrated Circuit based.

4    Fourth Generation
The period of fourth generation: 1971-1980. VLSI microprocessor based.

5    Fifth Generation
The period of fifth generation: 1980-onwards. ULSI microprocessor based.