What is the meaning of computer?


A computer is a mechanism or equipment that conducts processes, computations, and operations based on software or hardware instructions. It is capable of accepting data (input), processing it, and producing output.


Computers may also store and retrieve data for future purposes in suitable storage devices as required.


Modern computers are electrical devices used for many reasons, such as web surfing, document authoring, video editing, creation of programs, video game playback, etc.


They are intended to run programs and provide a range of solutions via integrated hardware and software components.

 

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Techopedia Computer Explains


The Colossus is the first digital electronic device to be regarded as the first modern computer. The Colossus was built in 1943-44 to break the Lorenz SZ 40/42, a German encryption system used to facilitate military communications during the Second World War.


The unit utilized 2 400 vacuum tubes to decode encrypted data for various boolean logical processes.


Modern computers provide a wide variety of various functions in diverse forms and sizes. Although desktop and laptop computers are the first to remember, many other less presupposed gadgets — such as supermarket scanners, ATMs, and smart TVs — are also computers.


Computers are considerably more easily accessible in our everyday lives because of the spread of smartphones, gaming consoles, wearables, and intelligent appliances.


A computer consists of many elements and components to make user functioning easier.


There are two main categories for a computer:

 

Hardware


The physical framework includes a computer processor, memory, storage, ports, and peripherals. Each component (called devices) has a separate function to receive inputs, store data, transmit outputs.


For instance, a mouse and a microphone are input devices for recording user actions and transforming them into data sent to the system unit. A hard drive is a storage device in which other devices store and retrieve data.


A monitor or a speaker is an output device that transforms processed data into visual and audio signals.


In general, the essential components which are the least that a computer can operate are:

 

Processor (CPU)


The component that processes and executes hardware and software inputs.

Motherboard


A main board with an essential link between the other hardware components and devices (internal and external).

 

Remembering (RAM)


A temporary data storage area that actively saves the CPU information.

 

Device of storage


A storage device in which data is permanently kept. It is slower than the RAM but less volatile.

 

Power Unit Supply


That's pretty self-explanatory: no electrical gadget can function without electricity!

Software


All computer components, such as data, software, applications, protocols, etc., are not technically physical, are generally described as 'software.' While the software has no tangible form, it is no less important to receive, encode, store and process information.


The program contains all executable and non-executable data, including papers, digital media, libraries, and online information. Software is also a computer operating system (OS) and all its applications.


A computer uses software programs transmitted for reading, interpretation, and execution to its underlying hardware architecture.


Computers may be categorized as personal computers (PC), desktop computers, laptop computers, minicomputers, computed portable devices, mainframes, or supercomputers, depending on their power, capacity, size, mobility, and other characteristics.

 

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