Computers

A computer is an electronic device for controlling operations, making calculations and manipulating data. ’Computer’ was originally referred to a person who carried out numerical calculations with the help of a mechanical calculating device. He was the human computer. A computer generally has four main parts - arithmetic and logical unit (ALU), the memory, the control unit and the input and output devices (collectively termed I/O). These parts are interconnected with the help of buses, which are groups of wires. The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer holds the ALU, the control unit, registers, and basic I/O devices. A computer has the capacity to run several programmes at a time. Various peripheral devices that are attached to a computer are the mouse, printer, keyboard and scanner.

A personal computer is used by one person at a time and is generally called a microcomputer. The term personal computer was generalised by a microcomputer magazine called Byte. Personal Computers are categorised as desktop computers, laptops or notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, tablet computers and wearable computers. Applications that are supported on a computer include games, movies and music, among others. Laptop computers have become extremely popular these days and are widely available online.