
Computer | Definition, History, Operating Systems, & Facts | Britannica
Feb 6, 2026 · A computer is a programmable device for processing, storing, and displaying information. Learn more in this article about modern digital electronic computers and their design, constituent …
Computer - Technology, Invention, History | Britannica
Feb 6, 2026 · 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
Feb 6, 2026 · 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 became apparent …
What is a computer? | Britannica
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 data, calculating …
Computer science | Definition, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Jan 23, 2026 · Computer science is the study of computers and computing, including their theoretical and algorithmic foundations, hardware and software, and their uses for processing information.
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 electronic machinery.
Personal computer (PC) | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
4 days ago · personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time.
Computer program | Definition & Facts | Britannica
The first digital computer designed with internal programming capacity was the “Baby,” constructed at Manchester in 1948. A program is prepared by first formulating a task and then expressing it in an …
Computer - Memory, Storage, Processing | Britannica
Feb 6, 2026 · Computer - Memory, Storage, Processing: The earliest forms of computer main memory were mercury delay lines, which were tubes of mercury that stored data as ultrasonic waves, and …
Computer graphics | Rendering, Animation & Visualization | Britannica
Feb 4, 2026 · Computer graphics, production of images on computers for use in any medium. Images used in the graphic design of printed material are frequently produced on computers, as are the still …