Generation may refer to any of the following:

  1. Abbreviated as gen, generation refers to a computer or components released because of new hardware or technology. For example, the IBM-compatible Intel Pentium and Intel Pentium II are two different generations of computer processors. There are also multiple generations of computers. The ENIAC and Apple II are examples.

When a new generation of technology is released, it may include new capabilities and features that make previous generations incompatible or obsolete.

  1. When referring to age generation or an age group, a generation is a name used to categorize people born around a specific date. For example, today, the term “millennial” describes an age group an advertiser may want to target.
  • How many generations of computers are there?
  • Computer history

Age generations

Below is a full list of five age generations and the years they were born, according to The Center for Generational Kinetics as of 2023.

  • Centennial, iGen, or Gen Z - Born in 1996 or later.
  • Gen Y or Millennial - Born between 1977 and 1995.
  • Generation X - Born between 1965 and 1976.
  • Baby boomer - Born between 1946 and 1964.
  • Silent generation or Traditionalist - Born in 1945 or earlier.

What is iGen?

The term iGen is short for “Internet generation” and describes a group of people who’ve grown up on the Internet.

The above years are based on The Center for Generational Kinetics research and vary for non-Western countries.

Why are people put into age groups?

People that fall into a specific age group often have similarities with others that fall into the same group. By classifying these groups, companies and other people can make general assumptions about them and give them more relevant information and advertisements. For example, a baby boomer is not likely to be interested in Snapchat and wouldn’t want to read about Snapchat tips or see ads. By knowing if someone is a baby boomer, a company could give them more relevant information that would interest them.

Computer revolution, Generation language, Hardware terms, lowerCamelCase