When is a computer a computer?

[Sathanel]

lets just make this as simple as it should be, lol.

A computer is: Any device that computes data, inputed by the user. wether it be an abacus, spectrum zx, a smart phone, or a personal computer. be it a laptop or desktop.

What does "computes data" mean?

 

[Perturabo]

To compute is to carry out an arithmetic or logical operation on something. Thus anything that does this is a computer.

 

[Sathanel]

So in other words a computer is an electronical device where the user can tell the computer to operate/calculate something?

 

[Perturabo]

There is nothing to say it has to be electrical, just most of the ones you come across are. Early computers were mechanical and eventually they will be optical. But yes its something that will carry out some operation according to a pre defined set of rules (a program).

 

[SPS]

Computer[font="ARIAL, HELVETICA"] derives directly from the Latin [/font]computus[font="ARIAL, HELVETICA"] and [/font]computare[font="ARIAL, HELVETICA"]. Both Latin words mean the same as the English verb [/font]compute[font="ARIAL, HELVETICA"]: to determine by mathematical means.[/font]

Therefore anything which computes, performs mathematical operations, is a computer.

Source.

 

[riotcity76]

Surely a computer is anything that carries out computations? The Z3 is generally accepted as the first programmable and automatic computer and that was built in 1941 with a clock of ~5 Hz and used punch cards. What people are defining a computer as; cpu, mobo etc is just the architecture of a modern computer. The fact that a desktop can calculate faster than a phone doesnt make the phone not a computer, it carries out the same basic operations. So I would say a computer is anything that can carry out a sequence of predefined operations automatically, regardless of what it is made of and how quickly it does it.

I think we have a winner...

Well said.

 

[8bitbreed]

I think we have a winner...

Well said.

Exactly what I said, he just used more extravagant words lol...

My avatar is the first none computer, used by the Romans.

 

[riotcity76]

Exactly what I said, he just used more extravagant words lol...

My avatar is the first none computer, used by the Romans.

Yes but he said it first

 

[Sathanel]

So a computer is somekind of calculator which receives orders from the user? >.<

 

[dugdiamond]

a computer "computes"

it takes:

1. several 'inputs'
   
2. a series of 'man-made' 'memorised' procedures and algorithms
   
3. outputs a solution
   

 

[Sathanel]

Serval inputs mean "Orders from User", right?

So it takes orders from user, and uses a procedure/algorithms to output something?

Sounds like a calculator to me :s

 

[Perturabo]

I think we have a winner...

Well said.

Thanks

 

[fredtrix]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPVCJjTNgk[/media]

LOL, I love people building real and advanced stuff in Lego =] Awesome video!

 

[Beattie282]

one easy way to explain this is with cars....

Golf cart = phone

Small Van = Laptop

HGV = PC

they are all technically cars but they have specific roles same with the phone,laptop and pc.

but to answer your qwuestion in my opion a pc is a pc when you hurt you back trying to pick the thing up!

 

[fredtrix]

one easy way to explain this is with cars....

Golf cart = phone

Small Van = Laptop

HGV = PC

they are all technically cars but they have specific roles same with the phone,laptop and pc.

but to answer your qwuestion in my opion a pc is a pc when you hurt you back trying to pick the thing up!

A pc as in Personal Computer is not the topic here, it's more computer in the general term.

 

[Ya93sin]

I'd take the Oxford/Dictionary definition of a computer.

But then when someone asks what is a computer in terms of people's views, I'd say anything running Windows/Linux/Mac OS X (not the mobile OSs though).

 

[SnW]

Something that needs to be programmed by a person.

 

[frozen]

a phone has a processor, a 'hard drive', ram, and onboard graphics

it is a computer, but it is a low powered, portable computing device..

i wouldnt want to use it to prime, or fold, or work out pi ...

My printer has a processor a hard drive ram and onboard graphics -- it's still a printer

 

[dipzy]

something that has a pcb in it

 

[WC_EEND]

something that has a pcb in it

That would make my microwave a computer too