Computer

A data processor that can perform substantial computation, including numerous arithmetic or logic operations, without intervention by a human operator during the run.

Charles Babbage began construction of the first mechanical computer for calculating logarithms and trigonometric functions in 1822.

Central Processing UnitThe computer chip primarily responsible for executing instructions. Normally abbreviated as CPU.
InterfaceA boundary across which two systems communicate.
MemoryIn a computer system memory is used to store data temporarily or permanently.

Historical Notes

  1. 1623 William Schickardt builds the first calculating machine from wood.
  2. 1834 Charles Babbage draws up the first plans for a digital computer.
  3. 1889 Hollerith invented the first calculating machine, used punch cards.
  4. 1892 In America, William Burroughs produces an adding-subtracting machine with a printer.
  5. 1946 The University of Pennsylvania developed the ENIAC computer, containing 18,000 vacuum tubes.
  6. 1951 First commercially available computer, the UNIVAC 1.
  7. 1971 Pocket calculator invented by Texas instruments.

See also: Babbage, Charles, Boot Up, Bug, Central Processing Unit, Code, Computer Software, Desktop Computer, Digital Computer, Instruction, Landauer′s Principle, Microcomputer, Microprocessor, Moore′s Law, Reduced Instruction Set Computer, Supercomputer, Windows.

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Subjects: Computing