Computer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Computer technology" and "Computer system" redirect here. For the company, see Computer Technology Limited. For other uses, see Computer (disambiguation) and Computer system (disambiguation).

Computer

A computer is a general purpose device that can be programmed to carry out a set of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Since a sequence of operations can be readily changed, the computer can solve more than one kind of problem.
Conventionally, a computer consists of at least one processing element, typically a central processing unit (CPU), and some form of memory. The processing element carries out arithmetic and logic operations, and a sequencing and control unit can change the order of operations in response to stored information. Peripheral devices allow information to be retrieved from an external source, and the result of operations saved and retrieved.

Contents

• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
  • 2.1 Pre-twentieth century
  • 2.2 First computing device
  • 2.3 Analog computers
  • 2.4 Digital Computers
    • 2.4.1 Electromechanical
    • 2.4.2 Vacuum tubes and digital electronic circuits
  • 2.5 Modern computers
    • 2.5.1 The concept of modern computer
    • 2.5.2 Stored programs
    • 2.5.3 Transistors
    • 2.5.4 Integrated circuits
  • 2.6 Mobile computers become dominant
• 3 Programs
  • 3.1 Stored program architecture
  • 3.2 Machine code
  • 3.3 Programming language
    • 3.3.1 Low-level languages
    • 3.3.2 High-level languages/Third Generation Language
  • 3.4 Fourth Generation Languages
  • 3.5 Program design
  • 3.6 Bugs
• 4 Components
  • 4.1 Control unit
  • 4.2 Central processing unit (CPU)
  • 4.3 Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
  • 4.4 Memory
  • 4.5 Input/output (I/O)
  • 4.6 Multitasking
  • 4.7 Multiprocessing
• 5 Networking and the Internet
  • 5.1 Computer architecture paradigms
• 6 Misconceptions
  • 6.1 Unconventional computing
• 7 Future
• 8 Further topics
  • 8.1 Artificial intelligence
• 9 Hardware
  • 9.1 History of computing hardware
  • 9.2 Other hardware topics
• 10 Software
• 11 Languages
  • 11.1 Firmware
• 12 Types of computers
  • 12.1 Based on uses
  • 12.2 Based on sizes
• 13 Input Devices
• 14 Output Devices
• 15 Professions and organizations
• 16 See also
• 17 Notes
• 18 References
• 19 External links