Characteristics of Computer.
(1) Speed - Computer works at very high speed. The speed is measured in terms of
MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second). A powerful computer is capable of
performing about 3 to 4 million arithmetic operations per second.
(2) Storage Capacity - Computer is able to store large volume of data permanently on
its storage devices (secondary memory). The unit of measurement of computer’s
memory is “Byte”
1 Byte = 8 bits (Where Bit = Binary Digit. i.e. 0 and 1)
1024 Byte = 1KB (Kilo Bytes)
1024 KB = 1MB (Mega Bytes)
1024 MB = 1GB (Giga Bytes)
1024 GB = 1TB (Tetra Bytes)
The capacity of 3.5-inch floppy disk is 1.44 MB, Capacity of hard disk is 10
GB – 20 GB, 40 GB (old) and 80 GB (latest). Capacity of CD ROM (Compact Disk
Read Only Memory) is 630 MB, 700MB etc.
(3) Accuracy - The computer works with very high degree of accuracy. Computer
performs all the operations using electronic circuits. These circuits can run error free
continuously for hours and hours.
If error in output occurs, it is mainly due to human rather than computer.
If the program (step by step instructions) is wrong or the sequence of instructions is
wrong or mainly if the input data is inaccurate then errors are introduced in the
output. So, the errors are mainly due to human operator rather than computer.
(4) Versatility (v"ViSyw):- Computer is able to perform any task provided you give
proper set of instructions (program) to it. Computer is able to do only what it is
instructed to do.
Computer is used in each and every field of our life like medicine,
engineering, education, business application, banking, scientific research, big
government agencies, corporations etc.
(5) Diligence - Being a machine computer does not get tired or bored by repeated task.
Unlike human being it is free from tiredness, lack of concentration, boredom etc. It
does not require any tea break or lunch break, it can work for ours together without
any error and with the same speed and accuracy. If it is asked to perform 1 million
calculations then it will perform the first and the last operation with the same speed
and accuracy. It can provide continuous standard output for hours and hours.
(6) Automatic - Once the program is feed in to the computer it executes it automatically.
No manual intervention is needed. It is a fully automatic machine.
(7) No I. Q. - The computer can perform a task with unthinkable speed and accuracy but
it does not possess its own intelligence. Its I. Q. is zero. It has to be told what to do
and in what sequence. A computer cannot think of it’s own or cannot take its own
decisions.
(8) No Feelings - Since computer is a machine it do not have feelings like human beings. Man
has succeeded in building a memory for the computer but it does not possess any thing
equivalent to human heart or soul. So it doesn’t have feelings.
