Computer Basics
What
is A Computer
A computer is an electronic
machine that accepts information, stores it until the information is needed,
processes the information according to the instructions provided by the user,
and finally returns the results to the user. The computer can store and
manipulate large quantities of data at very high speed, but a computer cannot
think. A computer makes decisions based on simple comparisons such as one
number being larger than another. Although the computer can help solve a
tremendous variety of problems, it is simply a machine. It cannot solve
problems on its own.
History of Computers
Since civilizations began,
many of the advances made by science and technology have depended upon the
ability to process large amounts of data and perform complex mathematical
calculations. For thousands of years, mathematicians, scientists and
businessmen have searched for computing machines that could perform calculations
and analyze data quickly and efficiently. One such device was the abacus.
