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A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Computers use programs to perform tasks and include hardware, software, and peripherals. They power a wide range of devices from consumer products to industrial equipment and the internet. Early computers were designed only for calculations but technological advancements led to more sophisticated digital electronic computers. Modern computers typically include a central processing unit, memory, and peripheral input/output devices.

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18 views1 page

PC

A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Computers use programs to perform tasks and include hardware, software, and peripherals. They power a wide range of devices from consumer products to industrial equipment and the internet. Early computers were designed only for calculations but technological advancements led to more sophisticated digital electronic computers. Modern computers typically include a central processing unit, memory, and peripheral input/output devices.

Uploaded by

dhanvanth dhanvanth
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical

operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic
sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range
of tasks. A computer system is a nominally complete computer that includes the hardware,
operating system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and used for full operation.
This term may also refer to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a
computer network or computer cluster.
A broad range of industrial and consumer products use computers as control systems. Simple
special-purpose devices like microwave ovens and remote controls are included, as are factory
devices like industrial robots and computer-aided design, as well as general-purpose devices like
personal computers and mobile devices like smartphones. Computers power the Internet, which
links billions of other computers and users.
Early computers were meant to be used only for calculations. Simple manual instruments like the
abacus have aided people in doing calculations since ancient times. Early in the Industrial
Revolution, some mechanical devices were built to automate long, tedious tasks, such as guiding
patterns for looms. More sophisticated electrical machines did specialized analog calculations in the
early 20th century. The first digital electronic calculating machines were developed during World
War II. The first semiconductor transistors in the late 1940s were followed by the silicon-based
MOSFET (MOS transistor) and monolithic integrated circuit chip technologies in the late 1950s,
leading to the microprocessor and the microcomputer revolution in the 1970s. The speed, power and
versatility of computers have been increasing dramatically ever since then, with transistor counts
increasing at a rapid pace (as predicted by Moore's law), leading to the Digital Revolution during
the late 20th to early 21st centuries.
Conventionally, a modern computer consists of at least one processing element, typically a central
processing unit (CPU) in the form of a microprocessor, along with some type of computer memory,
typically semiconductor memory chips. The processing element carries out arithmetic and logical
operations, and a sequencing and control unit can change the order of operations in response to
stored information. Peripheral devices include input devices (keyboards, mice, joystick, etc.), output
devices (monitor screens, printers, etc.), and input/output devices that perform both functions (e.g.,
the 2000s-era touchscreen). Peripheral devices allow information to be retrieved from an external
source and they enable the result of operations to be saved and retrieved.

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