08/02/2015

ComputerSimpleEnglishWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Computer
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Contents
1LargestComputerCompanies
2Historyofcomputers
2.1Definition
2.2Invention
2.3Automation
2.4Programming
2.5TheComputingEra
3AnalogandDigitalComputers
3.1Highscalecomputers
4Kindsofcomputers
4.1AllinonePC
5Commonusesofhomecomputers
6Workingmethods
7TheInternet
8Computersandwaste
9Mainhardware
10References

LargestComputerCompanies

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Companyname

Sales
(US$billion)

Samsung

212,680

Apple

170,910

Foxconn

132,070

HP(HewlettPackard) 112,300
IBM

99,750

Hitachi

87,510

Microsoft

86,830

Amazon

74,450

Sony

72,340

Panasonic

70,830

Google

59,820

Dell

56,940

Toshiba

56,200

LG

54,750

Intel

52,700

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Englishpages,thensimplifyingthearticle.(December2011)
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lowerthenumberofredlinks.(March2012)
Acomputerisamachinethatisabletotakeinformation(input),dosomeworkonormakechangestothe
information,tomakenewinformation(output).Computershaveexistedformuchofhumanhistory.
Examplesofearlycomputersaretheastrolabeandtheabacus.
Moderncomputersareverydifferentfromearlycomputers.Theyarenowverypowerfulmachinesthatare
abletodobillionsofcalculationseverysecond.Mostpeoplehaveusedapersonalcomputerintheirhome
oratwork.Computersareusefulformanydifferentjobswhereautomatictasksareuseful.Someexamples
arecontrollingtrafficlights,vehiclecomputers,securitysystems,WashingmachinesandDigital
Televisions.
Aperson(calledauser)cancontrolacomputerbytellingittodothings.Somewaysofcontrollinga
computerarewithakeyboard,mouse,buttons,touchscreen.Someverynewcomputerscanalsobe
controlledwithvoicecommandsorhandgestures.
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Computerscanbedesignedtodoanythingwithinformation.
Computersareusedtocontrolfactories,whichinthepastwere
controlledbyhumans.Theyarealsoinhomes,wheretheyareused
forthingssuchaslisteningtomusic,readingthenews,andwriting.
Moderncomputersareelectronicmachines.Acomputerisonly
usefulifithasbothhardwareandsoftware.Hardwareisthephysical
partsthecomputerismadeofforexamplekeyboard,mouse,
screen,tower,andthecircuitsinsideit.Softwareisthecomputer
programs(mathematicalinstructions).Thesoftwareusesthe
hardware,whentheusergivesitinstructionsandchangingitinto
usefuloutput.

Adrawingofausualdesktop
computer.

Manymoderncomputersdobillionsofcalculationseachsecond.
Theydomathematicalarithmeticveryquicklybutcomputersdonot
really"think".Theyonlyfollowtheinstructionsintheirsoftwareprograms.

Computerprogramsaredesignedorwrittenbycomputerprogrammers.Afewprogrammerswriteprograms
inthecomputer'sownlanguagecalledmachinecode.MachineCodehasonlyafewinstructionsandis
basedonlogicandMathematicalarithmetic.Usingmachinecodeisdifficultformosthumanprogrammers.
Today,programsarecommonlywrittenusingaprogramminglanguagelikeC++,Java,andObjectiveC.
Theseprogramminglanguagesaremorelikethelanguageyoutalkandwritewitheveryday.Aprogram
calledacompilertranslatestheuser'sinstructionsintobinarycode(machinecode)andturnsitintouseful
informationthatausercaneasilyunderstand,andthenthecomputerwillunderstandtheinstructionsanddo
whatisneeded.

Historyofcomputers
Definition
Acomputerisanelectronicmachinewhichhelpsinsolvingproblemsquicklyandeasily.Itsolvesproblems
accordingtoinstructionsgiventoitbythecomputeruser.

Invention
ThecomputerwasinventedbyCharlesBabbage.Itisadigitalmachineusedinallfields.

Automation
Humanshaveaproblemwithmaths.Toshowthis,trydoing584x3,220inyourhead.Itishardto
rememberallthesteps!Peoplemadetoolstohelpthemrememberwheretheywereinamathsproblem.
Theotherproblempeoplehaveisthattheyhavetodothesameproblemoverandoverandoveragain.A
cashierusedtomakechangeeverydayinherheadorwithapieceofpaper.Thattookalotoftimeand
peoplemademistakes.Sopeoplemademachinesthatdidthosesamethingsoverandover.Thispartof
computerhistoryiscalledthe"historyofautomatedcalculation,"whichisafancyphrasefor"thehistoryof
machinesthatmakeiteasyformetodothissamemathsproblemoverandoverwithoutmakingmistakes."
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Theabacus,thesliderule,theastrolabeandtheAntikythera
mechanism(whichdatesfromabout150100BC)areexamplesof
automatedcalculationmachines.

Programming
Mainpage:Computerprogramming
Somepeopledidnotwantamachinethatwoulddothesamething
overandoveragain.Forexample,amusicboxisamachinethat
playsthesamemusicoverandoveragain.Somepeoplewantedto
beabletotelltheirmachinetododifferentthings.Forexample,
theywantedtotellthemusicboxtoplaydifferentmusiceverytime.
Theywantedtobeabletoprogramthemusicboxtoorderthe
musicboxtoplaydifferentmusic.Thispartofcomputerhistoryis
calledthe"historyofprogrammablemachines"whichisafancy
phrasefor"ThehistoryofmachinesthatIcanordertododifferent
thingsifIknowhowtospeaktheirlanguage."

TheJacquardloomwasoneofthe
firstprogrammabledevices.

OneofthefirstexamplesofthiswasbuiltbyHeroofAlexandria(c.
1070AD).Hebuiltamechanicaltheaterwhichperformedaplaylasting10minutesandwasoperatedbya
complexsystemofropesanddrums.Theseropesanddrumswerethelanguageofthemachinetheytold
whatthemachinedidandwhen.Somepeoplearguethatthisisthefirstprogrammablemachine.[1]
Mosthistoriansagreethatthe"castleclock",anastronomicalclockinventedbyAlJazariin1206,isthe
firstknownprogrammableanalogcomputer.[2]Itshowedthezodiac,the

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