Computer and Characteristics of computer

Computer

The word "computer" comes from the word "compute", which means, "tty caleulate" Menee, epie 1ually considera computer to be a calculating device that can perform arithmetie oeatioms at high sed Alingh the original objective of inventing a computer was to create a fast calkculatimg devive, we ow define a computer as 4 device that operates upon data becaue more than 80% of work done by today's conputers is tlata proeessiny Data can be anything like bio-data of applicants when computer i% ued for shon isting candilates fr reruiting: TTarks obtained by students in various subjects when uscd for preparing results; details (name, age, se, ete) of passengers when used for mraking airline or railway reservations; or nunbCr of different parameters when ssed fn solving scientific research problems, cte, Notice from the examples that data can he either umerical, on IurTIerical, or a mixture of both.

 A computer is often referred to as a data processSor because it can store, process, and retrieve data wheever desired. The narne data processor is more inclusive because modern coñiputers not only compte in the usal sense but also perform other functions with data that flows to and from them, l'or exAInple, data process015 ay gather data from various incoming sources, merge (process of mixing or putting together) them all, sort (prness of arranging in some sequence -ascending or descending) then in the desired ordes, and finally print them in desired forrnat. Notice that none of these operations involves arithmetic computations in the Usual sense but a computer is the most suitable device for performing them. 

Characteristics of computer

1.Automatic: An automatic machine works by itself without human intervention. Computers are autormatic machines because once started on a job, they carry out the job (normally without any human assistance)until it is finished. However, computers being machines cannot start themselves and cannot go out and find their own problems and solutions. We need to instruct a computer using coded instructions that specify exactiy how it will do a particular job. Some of the other characteristics of computers (such as speed and accuracy) are because they are automatic and work on a problem without any human intervention. 

2.Speed: A computer is a very fast device. It can perform in a few seconds, the amount of work that a human being can do in an entire year -if he/she worked day and night and did nothing else. In other words, a computer can do in a few minutes what would take a man his entire lifetime.

While talking about the speed of a computer we do not talk in terms of seconds or even miliiseconds  but in terms of microseconds , nanoseconds, and even picoseconds. A powerful .computer is capable of performing several billion, even trillion, simple arithmetic operations per second. 

3.Accuracy: In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate. Accuracy of a computer is consisteptly high and the degree of its accuracy depends upon its design. A computer performs every calculation with the same accuracy. However, errors can occur in a computer. These errors are mainly due to human rather than technological weaknesses. For example, errors may occur due to imprecise thinking by a programmer (a person who Writes instructions for a computer to solve a particular problem) or incorrect input data. We often refer to computer errors caused due to incorrect input data or unreliable programs as garbage-in-garbage-out (GIGO). 

4. Diligence: Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of concentration. continuously work for hours without creating any error and without grumbling. Hence, computers score over human beings in doing routine type of jobs that require great accuracy. If ten million calculations have to be performed, a computer will perform the last one with exactly the same accuracy and speed as the first one. 

5. Versatility:Versatility is one of the most wonderful things about a computer. One moment it is preparing results of an examination, next moment it is busy preparing electricity bills, and in between, it may be helping an office secretary to trace an important letter in seconds. All that is required to change its talent is to slip in a new program (a sequence of instructions for the computer) into it. In brief, a computer is capable of performing almost any task, if the task can be reduced to a finite series of logical steps. 

6. No' I.Q.: A computer is not a magical device. It possesses no intelligence of its own. Its I. Q. is zero, at least until today. It has to be told what to do and in what sequence. Hence, only a user determines what tasks a Computer will perform. A computer cannot take its own decision in this regard. 

7. No feelings: Computers are devoid of emotions. They have no feelings and no instincts because they are machines. Although mnen have succeeded in building a memory for computer, but no computer possesses the equivalent of a human heart and soul. Based on our feelings, taste, knowledge, and experience we often make certain judgements in our day-to-dáy life whereas, computers cannot make such judgements on their own. They make judgements based on the instructions given to them in the form of programs that are written by us (human beings).