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Printable Version of Topic "What Is Technically A Computer?"

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-- Posted by KRNsoccerplayer24 at 1:46 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

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?


-- Posted by ManiacPenguins at 1:46 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

A computer is something that computes...


-- Posted by Link01 at 1:47 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

They have computers in them to help them run


-- Posted by FingerSub at 1:47 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

yes an xbox is just a computer with restrictions


-- Posted by Link01 at 1:47 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

Quote: from ManiacPenguins at 9:46 pm on Sep. 17, 2008


A computer is something that computes...

or in some cases does not


-- Posted by darKStorm at 1:47 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

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


-- Posted by marshmellowman at 1:48 pm on Sep. 17, 2008

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


-- Posted by 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.


-- Posted by allsmiles at 3:25 pm on Sep. 18, 2008

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


-- Posted by matto at 8:03 pm on Sep. 18, 2008

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..


-- Posted by Ju5tin at 9:39 pm on Sep. 18, 2008

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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