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A\u00a0computer<\/b>\u00a0is a\u00a0digital electronic<\/a>\u00a0machine<\/a>\u00a0that can be programmed to\u00a0carry out<\/a>\u00a0sequences<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0arithmetic<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0logical operations<\/a>\u00a0(computation<\/a>) automatically. Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as\u00a0programs<\/a>. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. A\u00a0computer system<\/b>\u00a0is a “complete” computer that includes the\u00a0hardware<\/a>,\u00a0operating system<\/a>\u00a0(main\u00a0software<\/a>), and\u00a0peripheral<\/a>\u00a0equipment needed and used for “full” operation. This term may also refer to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a\u00a0computer network<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0computer cluster<\/a>.<\/p>\n A broad range of\u00a0industrial<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0consumer products<\/a>\u00a0use computers as\u00a0control systems<\/a>. Simple special-purpose devices like\u00a0microwave ovens<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0remote controls<\/a>\u00a0are included, as are factory devices like\u00a0industrial robots<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0computer-aided design<\/a>, as well as general-purpose devices like\u00a0personal computers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0mobile devices<\/a>\u00a0like\u00a0smartphones<\/a>. Computers power the\u00a0Internet<\/a>, which links billions of other computers and users.<\/p>\n Early computers were meant to be used only for calculations. Simple manual instruments like the\u00a0abacus<\/a>\u00a0have aided people in doing calculations since ancient times. Early in the\u00a0Industrial Revolution<\/a>, some mechanical devices were built to automate long tedious tasks, such as guiding patterns for\u00a0looms<\/a>. More sophisticated electrical\u00a0machines<\/a>\u00a0did specialized\u00a0analog<\/a>\u00a0calculations in the early 20th century. The first\u00a0digital<\/a>\u00a0electronic calculating machines were developed during\u00a0World War II<\/a>. The first\u00a0semiconductor<\/a>\u00a0transistors<\/a>\u00a0in the late 1940s were followed by the\u00a0silicon<\/a>-based\u00a0MOSFET<\/a>\u00a0(MOS transistor) and\u00a0monolithic integrated circuit<\/a>\u00a0(IC) chip technologies in the late 1950s, leading to the\u00a0microprocessor<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0microcomputer revolution<\/a>\u00a0in the 1970s. The speed, power and versatility of computers have been increasing dramatically ever since then, with\u00a0transistor counts<\/a>\u00a0increasing at a rapid pace (as predicted by\u00a0Moore’s law<\/a>), leading to the\u00a0Digital Revolution<\/a>\u00a0during the late 20th to early 21st centuries.<\/p>\n Conventionally, a modern computer consists of at least one\u00a0processing element<\/a>, typically a\u00a0central processing unit<\/a>\u00a0(CPU) in the form of a\u00a0microprocessor<\/a>, along with some type of\u00a0computer memory<\/a>, typically\u00a0semiconductor memory<\/a>\u00a0chips. The processing element carries out arithmetic and logical operations, and a sequencing and control unit can change the order of operations in response to stored\u00a0information<\/a>.\u00a0Peripheral<\/a>\u00a0devices include input devices (keyboards, mice,\u00a0joystick<\/a>, etc.), output devices (monitor screens,\u00a0printers<\/a>, etc.), and input\/output devices that perform both functions (e.g., the 2000s-era\u00a0touchscreen<\/a>). Peripheral devices allow information to be retrieved from an external source and they enable the result of operations to be saved and retrieved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\r\n A\u00a0computer<\/b>\u00a0is a\u00a0digital electronic<\/a>\u00a0machine<\/a>\u00a0that can be programmed to\u00a0carry out<\/a>\u00a0sequences<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0arithmetic<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0logical operations<\/a>\u00a0(computation<\/a>) automatically. Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as\u00a0programs<\/a>. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. A\u00a0computer system<\/b>\u00a0is a “complete” computer that includes the\u00a0hardware<\/a>,\u00a0operating system<\/a>\u00a0(main\u00a0software<\/a>), and\u00a0peripheral<\/a>\u00a0equipment needed and used for “full” operation. This term may also refer to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a\u00a0computer network<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0computer cluster<\/a>.<\/p>\n A broad range of\u00a0industrial<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0consumer products<\/a>\u00a0use computers as\u00a0control systems<\/a>. Simple special-purpose devices like\u00a0microwave ovens<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0remote controls<\/a>\u00a0are included, as are factory devices like\u00a0industrial robots<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0computer-aided design<\/a>, as well as general-purpose devices like\u00a0personal computers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0mobile devices<\/a>\u00a0like\u00a0smartphones<\/a>. Computers power the\u00a0Internet<\/a>, which links billions of other computers and users.<\/p>\n Early computers were meant to be used only for calculations. Simple manual instruments like the\u00a0abacus<\/a>\u00a0have aided people in doing calculations since ancient times. Early in the\u00a0Industrial Revolution<\/a>, some mechanical devices were built to automate long tedious tasks, such as guiding patterns for\u00a0looms<\/a>. More sophisticated electrical\u00a0machines<\/a>\u00a0did specialized\u00a0analog<\/a>\u00a0calculations in the early 20th century. The first\u00a0digital<\/a>\u00a0electronic calculating machines were developed during\u00a0World War II<\/a>. The first\u00a0semiconductor<\/a>\u00a0transistors<\/a>\u00a0in the late 1940s were followed by the\u00a0silicon<\/a>-based\u00a0MOSFET<\/a>\u00a0(MOS transistor) and\u00a0monolithic integrated circuit<\/a>\u00a0(IC) chip technologies in the late 1950s, leading to the\u00a0microprocessor<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0microcomputer revolution<\/a>\u00a0in the 1970s. The speed, power and versatility of computers have been increasing dramatically ever since then, with\u00a0transistor counts<\/a>\u00a0increasing at a rapid pace (as predicted by\u00a0Moore’s law<\/a>), leading to the\u00a0Digital Revolution<\/a>\u00a0during the late 20th to early 21st centuries.<\/p>\n Conventionally, a modern computer consists of at least one\u00a0processing element<\/a>, typically a\u00a0central processing unit<\/a>\u00a0(CPU) in the form of a\u00a0microprocessor<\/a>, along with some type of\u00a0computer memory<\/a>, typically\u00a0semiconductor memory<\/a>\u00a0chips. The processing element carries out arithmetic and logical operations, and a sequencing and control unit can change the order of operations in response to stored\u00a0information<\/a>.\u00a0Peripheral<\/a>\u00a0devices include input devices (keyboards, mice,\u00a0joystick<\/a>, etc.), output devices (monitor screens,\u00a0printers<\/a>, etc.), and input\/output devices that perform both functions (e.g., the 2000s-era\u00a0touchscreen<\/a>). Peripheral devices allow information to be retrieved from an external source and they enable the result of operations to be saved and retrieved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row] […]<\/p>\n