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.
In
World War II, mechanical analog computers were used for specialized
military applications. During this time the first electronic digital
computers were developed. Originally they were the size of a large
room, consuming as much power as several hundred modern personal
computers (PCs).
Modern
computers based on integrated circuits are millions to billions of
times more capable than the early machines, and occupy a fraction of
the space. Simple computers are small enough to fit into mobile
devices, and mobile computers can be powered by small batteries.
Personal computers in their various forms are icons of the
Information Age and are what most people think of as “computers.”
However, the embedded computers found in many devices from MP3
players to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are
the most numerous.
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