What is the computer?

Computer

A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as input and processes it with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the result as output. It renders output just after performing mathematical and logical operations and can save the output for future use. It can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computer" which means to calculate.

A computer is designed to execute applications and provides a variety of solutions through integrated hardware and software components. It works with the help of programs and represents decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. It also has a memory that stores the data, programs, and results of processing. The components of a computer such as a piece of machinery that includes wires, transistors, circuits, and hard disk are called hardware. Whereas, the programs and data are called software.

It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first computer that was invented by Charles Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards as read-only memory. Charles Babbage is also known as the father of the computer.

COMPUTER FULL FROM

C - COMMONLY

O - OPERATED

M - MACHINE

P - PARTICULARLY

U - USED

T - TRAINING

E - EDUCATION

R - RESEARCH

COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER

 The computer can process data, pictures, sound, and graphics. They can solve highly complicated problems quickly and accurately. A computer perforins major computer operations or functions irrespective of their size and make. These are

  1. It accepts data or instructions by way of input,
  2. It stores data,
  3. It can process data as required by the user
  4. It gives results in the form of output, and
  5. It controls all operations inside a computer.

Input: This is the process of entering data and programs into the computer system. Computer inputs raw data and performs some processing giving out processed. The input unit takes data from us to the computer in an organized manner for processing.

Storage: The process of saving data and instructions permanently is known as storage. Data has to be fed into the system before the actual processing starts because the processing speed of the CPU is so fast that the data has to be provided to the CPU at the same speed. Therefore, the data is first stored in the storage unit for faster access and processing. All data and instructions are stored here before and after processing. Intermediate results of processing are also stored here.

Processing: The task of performing operations like logical operations is called process. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and instructions from the storage unit and nuances all sorts of calculations based on the instructions given and the type of data provided. It is then sent back to the storage unit.

Output: This is the process of producing results from the data for getting useful information. The output produced by the computer after processing must also be kept somewhere inside the computer before being given to you in a human-readable form. The output is also stored inside the computer for further processing.

Control: How instructions are executed and the above operations are performed. Controlling of all operations like input, processing, and output are performed by the control unit. It takes care of the step-by-step processing of all operations inside the computer.