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  LiveWire / Technical Forums / Hardware Tech Support / Viewing Topic

What Is Technically A Computer?
Replies: 10 — Last Post Sep. 18 9:39pm by Ju5tin
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( KRNsoccerplayer24 )


Wealthy Hobo 		Reply
Isn't a computer a device that can recieve input, give output, and keep things in memory? Would a alarm clock, tv, and a xbox be a computer?
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ManiacPenguins


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A computer is something that computes...
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Link01


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They have computers in them to help them run

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FingerSub

Wealthy Hobo
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yes an xbox is just a computer with restrictions

Post edited at 1:47 pm on Sep. 17, 2008 by FingerSub

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Link01


Time Lord
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Quote: from ManiacPenguins at 9:46 pm on Sep. 17, 2008
A computer is something that computes...

or in some cases does not

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darKStorm


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Well, an Xbox essentially is what most people regard as a computer anyway.

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marshmellowman


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A computer, in very basic definitions, is just a machine which computes data according to a set of instructions.

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drifting


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Quote: from marshmellowman at 4:48 pm on Sep. 17, 2008
A computer, in very basic definitions, is just a machine which computes data according to a set of instructions.

I like that definition, but I would go even more broad.

A machine that does highspeed counting and provides an output.

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allsmiles


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Computers compute. They do not require storage media. Input, process, output. 3 functions that form any and every computer.

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matto


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Quote: from drifting at 1:05 pm on Sep. 18, 2008
Quote: from marshmellowman at 4:48 pm on Sep. 17, 2008
A computer, in very basic definitions, is just a machine which computes data according to a set of instructions.

I like that definition, but I would go even more broad.

A machine that does highspeed counting and provides an output.

Lets zoom out once more!

A machine that counts and provides an output.

Just being slow doesn't make it not a computer :-), it just makes it a waste of time..

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Ju5tin


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It's basically some kind of device that can perform some sort of computation... For example, something as simple as an abacus is technically a computer.

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