What is a computer? What are the characteristics and limitations of computers?

The word “computer” comes from the word “compute” which means to calculate. Hence, a computer is normally considered to be a calculating device, which can perform arithmetic operations at enormous speed. The computer was create a fast calculating machine. However, more than 80% of the work done by computers today.
A computer is an automatic electronic machine used for carrying out calculations in numerical or logical terms at a tremendous speed.
A computer is defined as an electronic machine which accepts raw information or data as input and reveals useful information as output.

FULL FORM OF COMPUTER :
C - commonly
O - operation
M - machine
P - particularly
U - used for
T - technical
E - educational
R - reasearch.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER :

Computer has got certain characteristics. Some of them are given below :
1 - SPEED : Computer was first conceived a high speed calculator. Electrical pulses travel at incredible speed because the computer is an electric device.
2 - ACCURACY : The accuracy of a computer is consistently high and the degree of accuracy of a particular computer depends upon its design.
3 - DILIGENCE : Unlike human beings, a computer is
free from monotony, tiredness , lack of concentration
etc, and hence can work for hours together without
creating any error and without protesting.
4 - VERSATILITY : Versatility is one of the most
wonderful thing about the computer. One moment, it
is preparing and printing the results of particular
examination, the next moment its busy preparing
telephone bills, important file containing important
documents in seconds.
5 - POWER OF REMEMBERING : Speed of computer
can process large quantities of information has led to
the generation of new information on vast scale.
6 - STORAGE : A computer can store a large amount
of data and that too in a sequenced manner.
Example, A book data stored on a single CD.
7 - EXPERTNESS : Today computers can act as an
expert in a particular field. Example, they can teach a
student a particular student a particular topic or
subject. They can act as tutors. This area is called CAL
( Computer Aided Learning)
LIMITATIONS OF COMPUTER :
Computer is more useful now day but some
limitations are given :
1 - A computer has no brain/intelligence of its own. It
does what it is asked to do and in what sequence. Its
own I.Q. is zero. Hence, it cannot take its own
decisions.
2 - It has no emotions or feelings like human beings.
In other words, it has no heart and soul, being simply
a machine.
3 - It cannot make things understandable using
gestures what the human beings can do.
4 - On the basis of own experience, we can make
judgements but a computer cannot make any
judgement of its own.
5 - Human beings are flexible in their approach but
computer is never so.

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