Characteristics of Computers
Let us discuss the characteristics of computers.
- Speed - computers are faster than humans
- Accuracy - computers are always accurate
- Versatility - computers peform variety of jobs
- Storage capacity - Storage space only limited by the amount of storage you buy
- Diligence - Computers dont get tired
- Reliability - Computers are highly reliable machines and have long failure free lives
- Automation - Run an process repetitively automatically
Speed
Computer is capable of processing data at high speeds in seconds which humans take hours to complete.
- Today's powerful computers processes millions of instructions per second.
- Speed of a computer is measured in terms of microseconds, nanoseconds and even picoseconds.
Accuracy
Computers are very accurate. If error occurs, it is only due to humans.
Degree of accuracy of a computer depends upon its hardware and software design.
Versatility
A computer is a versatile device.
Computers are not only handling complex arithmetic, but can also do several kind of jobs.
- Computers can be programmed to perform any task that can be organized as a series of logical steps.
- For example, computers and computing devices are used in every possible scenario such as
- railway or airline reservations
- banking
- publishing examination results
- ecommerce
- searching
- finding information
- hotels
- hospitals
- office administration
- launching satellites
- monitoring patients
- analyzing large volume of data
- and so on.
Storage capacity
A single computer's storage can store millions of documents or images, audio or videos or any other type of data.
- Such data can be retrieved as and when required.
- Computers have primary memory and secondary memory.
- User of the computer can store and recall exactly the same information temporarily, in primary memory
- User can also use secondary storage device (hard disk, SSD, compact disk, external hard drives, tapes) to store large amount of data permanently.
Diligence
Computer is not like a human being.
- Human beings get tired at some point of their working hours and may lose their focus.
Computers can continuously work without getting being tired or boredom and can generate error free results.
- If we want to execute 10 million instructions, computers will perform the last one with exactly same speed and accuracy as the first one.
Reliability
A computer is a relatively highly reliable machine.
Computers have long failure free lives.
- Maintenance of computers is relatively easier.
- If any part of a computer fails, it will be replaced or repaired at minimum cost.
Automation
- With Automation, You can produce a million products once the right input is provided.
- Examples: Factory run by robotic computers, Computer driven cars
Computers helps in automation of repetitive work.
- Once you provide a queue of tasks to computer, it can continue to proceed until it has finished all the tasks.
- Humans need to give instructions to computers to carry out the task. By using these instructions, the processing of task can be controlled without human interaction.
- In the recent years, computer software applications are trained to find problems automatically using a concept called Machine learning.