"According to wikipedia.

org computer is the machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences
of arthmetic or logical operation automatically.

Also "Accoding to https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/computer.htm computer is a

History of Computers

This journey of computers began in 1822 with Charles Babbage’s analytical engine, which was used to
compute the product of numbers. Lady Ada Lovelace, considered to be the world’s first programmer,
helped with the programming of the analytical engine, Around a hundred years later, Alan Turing
presented a concept of a universal machine which could theoretically compute anything.

Then J.V. Atanasoff, from the University of Iowa, actually made the first attempt to build a computer. But
the first concrete effort came from two University of Pennsylvania professors who built the ENIAC
(Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) which filled an entire room and had around 18,000
vacuum tubes .Two years later, a green light for building UNIVAC came from the US government to make
the first computer for commercial and business applications. Then came a fundamental design switch to
transistors a year later when transistors replaced vacuum

Following this, there was a parabolic rise in the development of computers with Bell Laboratories, IBM
and Apple Inc. They made significant headways into the development of computers.

Apple announced the new personal computers that eventually took over the market in 1976. This was
followed up by Microsoft’s Windows. These two significant companies prove to be the game changers in
the personal computer field, and the rest is history.

Types of Computers

Computers can be differentiated based on their modes of functioning as well as their size and
functionality. Here they have been divided into different types of computers without considering any of
these factors.

Analogue
These are old models of computers that work on the continuous analogue signals rather than discrete
signals. They are not very accurate but extremely fast.

Digital

Computers that use this binary system of counting using electrical pulses of ON and OFF are known as
digital computers. They function on discrete values and are generally more accurate.

Hybrid

Computers that have features of both digital and analogue computers are known as hybrid computers.
The analogue part of a computer handles very complicated mathematical computations while digital
components handle these numerical and logical systems.

Mainframes

Mainframe computers are computers that are accessed simultaneously by several thousands of people
at once. They are used in fields of banking and telecom where they have to handle millions of requests
together in minimal time.

Supercomputers

These massive computers are used in the fields of engineering and scientific computations. They usually
perform over a million instructions per second.

Servers

Servers are large repositories of information. They supply information to any computer that is on the
same network as them. Many people access servers at the same time so servers need to handle large
amounts of traffic.

Workstation

This type of computer that scientists and engineers may be familiar with is called the workstation. It is
generally used in scientific applications and has a faster microprocessor along with a spacious memory.

Microcomputer

This last type of computer is a microcomputer which is nothing but a personal computer that you use at
home. These computers are built for light use such as listening to music, or playing movies or accessing
the internet.

This list concludes various types of computers that are available right now the world over.

Basics of a Computer

Computer basics should be known to everybody who has ever used a computer. A computer is a device
that computes some raw data and turns it into meaningful information.

Computer systems consist mainly of two parts. They are hardware and software. The hardware is
electronic circuitry that helps to compute the mathematical computations, and the software is the
programs that help the hardware to compute. Software is further subdivided into two parts, the
operating systems and applications programs. The operating system runs the computer hardware and
helps us to communicate with the computer while software applications that we run further perform
useful tasks for us.
Hardware vs Software

These are the primary divisions of the computer system.

While discussing the computer definition, we understand that there are two broad divisions of the
computer. They are the hardware and the software. The hardware is that part of the computer that we
can physically see, feel, touch. They include the input and output devices as well as the processor chip
itself.

While the software is those programs which perform tasks, for example, the very browser that you are
using to view this program is a software. Software is of two types. One is the operating system like
Windows and LINUX, and the other part is the application software like MS Office, games, internet
browsers etc. The computer without the software is nothing but a dumb machine. The software is what
makes the computer useful to humans.

The computer's meaning should be clear to you now.

Hardware

Computer hardware is the physical parts of a computer device. Hardware can be replaced if broken or as
per needs. Hardware can also be seen as the machinery or primary electronic part of the computer
devices. These are used to build up the computer and bring it into a usable condition. For Example-
Monitors, Central Processing Unit (CPU), etc.

Softwares

Software in a computer system is a programming code that is executed on a computer processor to fulfill
the required task. It is a set of programs and procedures that can perform the given tasks. Softwares is
generally written or designed in high-level programming languages which are also readable by non-
technical people and the user of the computer.

The high-level languages of software are converted to machine language instructions which can be
understood by the computer to follow. These are represented in the form of binary code (0s and 1s)
which is understood by the device. The installation of software occurs in the machine language or binary
code.

Types of Softwares

Software in a computer is divided into 2 parts. They are as follows-

System Softwares – System software is software in a computer that operates directly on hardware
gadgets of the computer. The system software in a computer can be seen as a platform to use or run an
application. It helps to use the system itself and run the hardware of the computer. System software is
mostly pre-installed on the new computers. For Example- UnixWindows, etc.

Application Softwares – Application Softwares are software that is created for users to complete different
tasks on the given computer system. Application Softwares can either be already installed in the
computer device or can be installed later from to web or other sources. For Example- Games, Microsoft
Word, WhatsApp, etc.

Key Parts of a Computer

The key components of a computer are the CPU, input and output devices, memory, storage devices and
the motherboard. Knowing what a computer is is impossible without knowing its structural basics. Hence
here is a brief look at the various components that make up a computer.

Central Processing Unit

Input Devices

Devices through which one can feed the computer, some meaningful information is known as the input
devices. For example, a keyboard is an input device through which we key in data for the computer to
process.

Output Devices

Devices through which the computer shows the output of its computation are known as output devices.
For example, the screen on which appears the results is an output device.

Memory

The place where programs and executable instructions are stored is called memory. Usually, this memory
is stored on the CPU.

Storage Devices

Storage devices are those devices that read or store data — For example, hard drive. The place where
information is stored is known as storage media.

Motherboard

Mainboard on which memory, CPU, and other peripherals are connected is known as the motherboard.
These are the various components of a computer system that are critical to its functioning. Every
computer, to be meaningful, needs to have these parts.

After understanding computer meaning, you should be able to identify the various components of the
computer. It would be best if you also understood how computers were developed and what the
benefits of using the computer are.

Benefits of Using a Computer

The benefits of using a computer are plenty. A computer is a machine that can accomplish so many tasks
on a user's behalf, that it is impossible to do without it nowadays. Anyone knowing the computer basics
will know that computers are highly time-saving and useful to have.

Listed here are five reasons why you should use a computer.

Computers Can Work 24 x 7

Since computers need electricity to run, they are capable of working without tiring. Same work will take
more time if done by a person than if performed by a computer. For example, take the preparation of
payslips for employees. A person and a computer can do the same work. But a computer will not tire nor
make mistakes, which is quite possible for a person to do.

Computers Connect a Person to the Internet

Nowadays, the new market place is the internet. Buying, selling, and advertising as well as interacting
with friends have shifted online. So, how can you take advantage of this new giant? The only way to
access the internet is through a computer. The internet is also a storehouse of information which can be
accessed in the blink of an eye.
Stores a Vast Amount of Information

Those who know what a computer is know that with the rise in technology computers can store
information in the order of terabytes. This amount is enough to save around 250 movies. So, imagine the
vast information that you can have stored on the computer. Memory nowadays is cheaply available, so
pictures, videos, music, and documents can all be stored on the computer at a cheap price.

Saves Time

The most critical computer basics are that the device saves time. Doing any computation on the
computer saves you the time and the hassle of getting the task done. For example, preparing the
monthly budget for a home can be easily accomplished on the computer in a matter of minutes, and the
work is carried out not only efficiently but is also done correctly.

Computers Can Help You Make Money

If you are setting up a company of your own, you can use computers to connect to the internet and
create a broader audience base. Knowing how to work with computers is a skill that is significantly in
demand as many businesses have integrated their work in tandem with computers. Programmers and
coders are some of the highest paid jobs in the market at present.

These benefits are sufficient reasons to use computers on a day to day basis to solve many problems that
confront us. Hopefully, now you may have some idea of what the computer means.

Also, the definition of a computer system should be clear to you. With this basic understanding, you can
systematically further your study of computers. As our future looms large, computers are set to take over
the world. They will define the manner in which one does business as well as to conduct their personal
lives, so now is the time to gain as much knowledge about them so that you stay relevant.
What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing refers to the on-time delivery of diverse services with the use of the Internet in one's
device. Cloud Computing contains many tools and applications which can help one do their job with the
internet. Some services of Cloud Computing are data storage, servers, databases, etc

In Cloud Computing, a cloud-based storage facility makes it possible to save them to a remote database
rather than maintaining files on hard drives or local storage devices. As long as the given electronic
device has access to the high-speed internet, it can access the data and the software programs stored in
the cloud.

Last updated date: 28th Oct 2023

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