
Computer | Definition, History, Operating Systems, & Facts
4 days ago · A computer is a programmable device for processing, storing, and displaying information. Learn more in this article about modern digital electronic computers and their …
What is a computer? | Britannica
Dec 22, 2025 · A computer is a machine that can store and process information. Most computers rely on a binary system, which uses two variables, 0 and 1, to complete tasks such as storing …
Computer - Technology, Invention, History | Britannica
Dec 22, 2025 · Computer - Technology, Invention, History: By the second decade of the 19th century, a number of ideas necessary for the invention of the computer were in the air.
Computer - History, Technology, Innovation | Britannica
Dec 22, 2025 · It is not too great a stretch to say that, in the Jacquard loom, programming was invented before the computer. The close relationship between the device and the program …
computer summary | Britannica
Computer, device for processing, storing, and displaying information. Computer once meant a person who did computations, but now the term almost universally refers to automated …
list of notable computer viruses and malware - Encyclopedia …
Malware (a portmanteau of the terms malicious and software) consists of computer viruses, spyware, computer worms, and other software capable of stealing devices’ data or running …
Personal computer (PC) | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time.
Computer - Home Use, Microprocessors, Software | Britannica
Dec 22, 2025 · Computer - Home Use, Microprocessors, Software: Before 1970, computers were big machines requiring thousands of separate transistors. They were operated by specialized …
How Do Quantum Computers Work? - Encyclopedia Britannica
Feb 3, 2026 · When a practical quantum computer is built, it will break current encryption schemes based on multiplying two large primes; in compensation, quantum mechanical effects …
computer - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Computer software is divided into two basic types—the operating system and application software. The operating system controls how the different parts of hardware work together. …