A computer has a number of characteristics:
• A computer is responsive
Computers are designed to respond to commands. These could be pre-set commands, such as the instructions about how a program should work. They could also be inputted commands, such as those typed in or clicked on by humans using the computer. Either way, the purpose of a computer is to aid humans in their work and play, and these purposes are fulfilled by following a set of commands in a specific order.
• A computer works quickly
The computer was first designed to act as a calculator. However, the speed at which the first computers worked caused people to realize that they would be capable of much more than just sums, which is how computers have developed from calculators into the marvels they are today. The electrical pulses within computers travel incredibly quickly - in fact, they travel so quickly that the most common measurements of time in relation to computers are the microsecond, the nanosecond and the picosecond, referring to a millionth, a thousand-millionth, and a million-millionth of a second respectively.
• A computer works on a large scale
It is thought that humans can store infinite amounts of information in their long-term memory, thanks to the intricacy of the brain. Therefore, with us, it's not a problem with storing the information - the problems arise when we try to retrieve the information in order to use it. Computers do not have this problem. They can store vast quantities of data thanks to the CPU (internal memory), and their auxiliary and secondary memory devices. Today, devices called "hard drives" can be bought, which you can plug into your laptop or computer in order to save data to the hard drive. This frees up memory space on your computer, and, in theory, should allow you computer to work more quickly.
• A computer is responsive
Computers are designed to respond to commands. These could be pre-set commands, such as the instructions about how a program should work. They could also be inputted commands, such as those typed in or clicked on by humans using the computer. Either way, the purpose of a computer is to aid humans in their work and play, and these purposes are fulfilled by following a set of commands in a specific order.
• A computer works quickly
The computer was first designed to act as a calculator. However, the speed at which the first computers worked caused people to realize that they would be capable of much more than just sums, which is how computers have developed from calculators into the marvels they are today. The electrical pulses within computers travel incredibly quickly - in fact, they travel so quickly that the most common measurements of time in relation to computers are the microsecond, the nanosecond and the picosecond, referring to a millionth, a thousand-millionth, and a million-millionth of a second respectively.
• A computer works on a large scale
It is thought that humans can store infinite amounts of information in their long-term memory, thanks to the intricacy of the brain. Therefore, with us, it's not a problem with storing the information - the problems arise when we try to retrieve the information in order to use it. Computers do not have this problem. They can store vast quantities of data thanks to the CPU (internal memory), and their auxiliary and secondary memory devices. Today, devices called "hard drives" can be bought, which you can plug into your laptop or computer in order to save data to the hard drive. This frees up memory space on your computer, and, in theory, should allow you computer to work more quickly.
