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Computer | Definition, History, Operating Systems, & Facts | Britannica
A computer is a programmable device for processing, storing, and displaying information. Learn more in this article about modern digital electronic computers and their design, constituent parts, and applications as well as about the history of computing.
Computer - Technology, Invention, History | Britannica
Computer - Technology, Invention, History: By the second decade of the 19th century, a number of ideas necessary for the invention of the computer were in the air. First, the potential benefits to science and industry of being able to automate routine calculations were appreciated, as they had not been a century earlier. Specific methods to make automated calculation more practical, such as ...
What is a computer? | Britannica
A computer is a machine that can store and process information. Most computers rely on a binary system, which uses two variables, 0 and 1, to complete tasks such as storing data, calculating algorithms, and displaying information. Computers come in many different shapes and sizes, from smartphones to supercomputers weighing more than 300 tons.
computer summary | Britannica
computer, Programmable machine that can store, retrieve, and process data. A computer consists of the central processing unit (CPU), main memory (or random-access memory, RAM), and peripherals (e.g., a keyboard, a printer, disc drives). Traditional histories of computers assign generations on the basis of technology.
Computer - History, Technology, Innovation | Britannica
Computer - History, Technology, Innovation: How did the abacus lead to modern computers? The earliest known calculating device is the abacus, dating back to at least 1100 BCE and still in use today, particularly in Asia. The abacus showed that calculations could be represented physically and manipulated systematically. Its use of discrete bead positions—on or off—anticipated the digital ...
Computer science | Definition, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Computer science is the study of computers and computing, including their theoretical and algorithmic foundations, hardware and software, and their uses for processing information. The discipline of computer science includes the study of algorithms and data structures and artificial intelligence.
Personal computer (PC) | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
Personal computer, a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time. A typical personal computer assemblage consists of a central processing unit, which contains the computer’s arithmetic, logic, and control circuitry on an integrated circuit; computer memory; and various peripheral devices.
computer - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
A computer is a device for working with information. The information can be numbers, words, pictures, movies, or sounds. Computer information is also called data. Computers…
Computer - Home Use, Microprocessors, Software | Britannica
Computer - Home Use, Microprocessors, Software: Before 1970, computers were big machines requiring thousands of separate transistors. They were operated by specialized technicians, who often dressed in white lab coats and were commonly referred to as a computer priesthood. The machines were expensive and difficult to use. Few people came in direct contact with them, not even their programmers ...
Computer - Networking, Digitalization, Automation | Britannica
Computer - Networking, Digitalization, Automation: The Internet grew out of funding by the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), later renamed the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to develop a communication system among government and academic computer-research laboratories. The first network component, ARPANET, became operational in October 1969. With only 15 ...
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