Why early computer were expensive and large?

Answer 1

Early computers were expensive and large primarily due to the high cost of components such as vacuum tubes and transistors, which were used for processing data. Additionally, the manufacturing processes required to build these computers were complex and labor-intensive, further driving up costs. The size of early computers was necessary to accommodate the large number of components and the need for adequate cooling systems to prevent overheating.

Answer 2

They were large because the technology to make tiny switches and circuits didn't exist. The ENIAC came out in 1946, the first commercially-available transistor of any type in 1948, and the first commercially-available microprocessors in 1971.

They were expensive because earlier ones used vacuum tubes, which burned out often, they required lots of electricity, and they required more than one person to operate. Plus, since few people wanted them, they couldn't be mass-produced.

Answer 3

Vacuum tubes are:

1. large
2. generate lots of heat, needing large cooling system
3. unreliable, needing easy access to test & replace any tube at any time

Also the electromechanical punchcard, punchtape, and magnetic tape I/O devices used contained large electric motors and media transport mechanisms.

Answer 4

Because the technology available at that time was not like now. Today we have microchips, which are tiny and can store and do so much more than the technology. Older computers used different and larger forms of technology and bigger components and larger amounts of them. So they were much bigger than today's computers, although they were far less powerful. Technology generally gets smaller and more powerful, as you can see in other cases like large TVs compared to flat screens, or large radios compared to things like iPods, or the first large mobile phones compared to smaller ones we now have.

Answer 5

The 1st generation computers were extremely large because it used vacuum tubes as the basic components for circuitry and CPU as well as magnetic drums for memory. They were occupied almost the entire room due to their enormous size.

It used punched cards, magnetic tapes, paper tapes as input and output devices.

Answer 6

yes some where even bigger,and if that is not your question then they werre so big because the computer chip wasnt well developed now we can get bigger memory space in smaller chips

Answer 7

The first generation computer was changed to make improvements in speed, capacity and design.

Answer 8

it is because of the bulkz hardwares