What is a Computer?

• Anything that computes–Compute = verb: to calculate

• The oldest known tool to help people compute was a notched stick from Africa, ca. 2800 BC.

• The first things called “computers” were actually people! Office workers in US and Europe, late 1800s, who sat at tables all day doing mathematical computations –by hand!

• First electronic computer was ENIAC, 1944. –It weighed many tons and took

up over 36,000 square feet!

–Used over 20,000 vacuum tubes

–Less powerful than a handheld calculator…

• Modern electronic computers store, retrieve, and process data, and output it as useful information.

• This is the basic definition of a computer system.

• Diagram goes here

• 4 parts of a computer system:1. Hardware

2. Software

3. Information, Data

4. The user!