The word
“Computer” is derived from a Greek word that means “To Compute” or “To
Calculate”.Computer is an electronic
device that accepts input from keyboard
processes the information in CPU stores
the result in Memory and gives the
result or output on Monitor.
More accurately,
a computer is an electronic machine that enters the raw data as input,
processes the data and stores it as per user’s requirement and provide us the
required instructions as output with high speed and accuracy. It can perform
mathematical and non-mathematical operations. The input is entered into the
computer through an input device like Keyboard and output is received through
output device like printer, monitor etc.
We can say that Computer is an electronic
data processing device that automatically:
1.Accept and store input data.
2.Process the same and
3.Output the processed results in the form
required by the user.
Computer is abbreviated or acronymned as Common Operating Machine Particularly Used
for Technical, Educational & Research.
ØIn
fact, a Computer is a complete system in itself. The Computer as a system is,
in fact, a combination of hardware and software components that jointly offer
the necessary services to the user.
ØThe
Hardware consists of electronic circuits, integrated circuits, memories,
cables, keyboard etc.
ØThe software,
on the other hand, includes programs recorded on a physical media such as
floppy disk, hard disk etc.
Characteristics
of Computer:
The various Characteristics of Computer
are listed below:
1.Speed:
A computer is a very
high speed device. It can perform or execute more than hundred million of
instructions in asecond. So the Speed
of Computer is very high. The Speed of computer is measured in milliseconds (10-3),
microseconds (10-6), nanoseconds (10-9) and in
picoseconds (10-12).
2.Accuracy: Accuracy ofa computer means the reliability of the
hardware components. A Computer is a very accurate device it gives 100% result.
Computer performs each and every calculation with the same accuracy even if it
is the last instruction.
3.Versatility: Versatility means that a Computer can
perform more than one job at the same time. For example, One can write a
program in a programming language and at the same time one can listen to a
music and can access the internet.
4.Consistency: A computer can work for long hours
without any disturbance and without losing the concentration power.
5.Automation:A
Computer is an automatic machine because once it get starts its job, it will
carry on till the job get completed. Computer can perform large number of calculations
without human interference.
6.Reliability:
Reliability means that
you can trust the machine for the correctness of results, calculations. It also
means the measure of performance of a computer measured against some
predetermined standard for operation without the failure of it.
7.Diligence
(No fatigue or No tiredness): A
human gets bored and tired and loses efficiency and accuracy in repetitive
tasks but a computer can never gets bored or tired. It will perform a
calculation with the same speed and same accuracy for any number of times.
8.No
I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient): A
computer has no IQ of its own. It can only performs the tasks given by human
with high speed and accuracy. For example, if we ask Computer to install
Microsoft Office by its own it cannot do that but if we start the bootable CD
and guide the Computer for installation it can perform all the predefined
instructions by its own.
9.Large
Storage Capacity: A Computerhas not only a high storage capacity
rather it can receive the data or knowledge stored there in seconds with high
accuracy. It can store and recall any amount of information from its main
memory or form secondary storage or both any time when required.
10.Reduce
the space requirements: The
use of Computer for office activities reduces the requirements of office space
which otherwise is required.
