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  1. Computer | Definition, History, Operating Systems, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 22, 2025 · 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 …

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 data, …

  5. Computer - Memory, Storage, Processing | Britannica

    Dec 22, 2025 · 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 …

  6. Computer graphics | Rendering, Animation & Visualization | Britannica

    Dec 26, 2025 · 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 …

  7. 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 became apparent …

  8. Computer security | Definition & Facts | Britannica

    Jan 2, 2026 · Computer security, the protection of computer systems and information from harm, theft, and unauthorized use. Computer hardware is typically protected by serial numbers, doors and locks, …

  9. Software | Definition, Types, & Facts | Britannica

    Software comprises the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system. The term was coined to differentiate these instructions from hardware—i.e., …

  10. Personal computer (PC) | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

    personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time.