
Computer | Definition, History, Operating Systems, & Facts
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 …
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.
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 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, …
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 - 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 …
computer summary | Britannica
Database, any collection of data, or information, that is specially organized for rapid search and retrieval by a computer. Databases are structured to facilitate the storage, retrieval, …
Computer virus | Definition & Facts | Britannica
Jan 8, 2026 · A more damaging virus can wreak havoc on an extremely large computer system within a matter of minutes or hours, causing it to crash and thereby destroy valuable data, or …
Personal computer (PC) | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 27, 2025 · personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time.
List of programming languages | SQL, C, Java, Python, Go, & Facts ...
For a computer to complete tasks, software developers use programming languages to communicate with the device. Here is a list of popular programming languages.