Characteristics of Computer

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER

Let us now identify the major characteristics of a computer. These are:

• Speed
• Accuracy
• Diligence
• Versatility
• Power of Remembering
• Dumb Machine with no IQ
• Storage

1. Speed

As you know computer can work very fast. It takes only a fraction of a second for calculations that manually take hours to complete. It takes few minutes for the computer to process huge amount of data and give the result.

2. Accuracy

The degree of accuracy of computer is very high and every calculation is performed with the same accuracy. The accuracy level is determined on the basis of design of the computer. The errors in computer are mainly due to human and inaccurate data.

3. Diligence

A computer is free from tiredness, lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. It can work for hours without any error.

4. Versatility

The computer is highly versatile. You can use it for a number of tasks simultaneously such as, for inventory management, preparation of electrical bills, preparation of pay cheques, etc. Similarly, in libraries computer can be used for various library house keeping operations like acquisition, circulation, serial control, etc. and also by students for searching library books on the computer terminal.

5. Power of Remembering

Computer has the power of storing large amount of information or data. Any information can be stored and recalled whenever required for any numbers of years. It depends entirely upon you how much data you want to store in a computer and when to retrieve or delete stored data.

6. Dumb Machine with no IQ

Computer is a dumb machine and it cannot do any work without instructions from the user. It performs the instructions at a tremendous speed and with great accuracy as it has the power of logic. It is for you to decide what you want to do and in which sequence. So, a computer cannot take decision of its own as human beings can take.

7. Storage

The computer has an in-built memory where it can store huge amount of data. You can also store data in secondary storage devices such as CDs, DVDs, and pen drives which can be kept outside the computer and can be carried to other computers.