Computer Functions (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what the basic functions of a computer are and what the usefulness of each one is. Also, what are software and hardware.

What functions does a computer have?

A computer, computer or computer It is a digital electronic device capable of executing commands based on information provided and returning information to the user through its output units. It is the main work, communications and recreation tool of the 21st century, whose presence in the world from the second half of the 20th century revolutionized contemporary life.

Computers consist of a complex computing system, made up of two sets of elements:

He hardware It covers the physical and tangible aspects of the system, such as its peripherals, its processing cards and its microchips.
He software It covers the intangible and virtual aspects of the system, such as applications, commands, and the operating system.

From the interaction of your hardware and his software It depends, then, on the performance of a computer (or a network of them) in a very diverse set of operations, ranging from mathematical processing and the reproduction of multimedia content, to digital programming, that is, the manufacture of parts. new from software. The enormous versatility of computers has made them in less than a century of history a fundamental tool in different fields of human knowledge.

Functions of a computer

The basic functions of a computer can be summarized as follows:

Store data and allow easy retrieval. Computers are tools equipped with an enormous capacity for memorizing information, especially through their fixed storage units (such as a hard drive) and portable storage units (such as a pendrive). This means that a user can enter a certain amount of information into a computer, using the input devices. input or input (such as keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone), and can likewise, at another time and/or in another place, retrieve such information quickly and reliably.
Process large amounts of information. When a computer is running it performs thousands of calculations and executes hundreds of instructions, all at high speeds. This is possible thanks to the power of its microprocessors, which carry out millions of mathematical operations per second, since the entire software that exists is composed, in essence, of a complex system of calculations and representations, whose most basic level is the binary code: a set of zeros and ones that allow the alphabet and numbers to be encoded in a formal way. This is why the computer can “understand” instructions in natural language or through visual representations (such as Windows icons) and execute applications in a predetermined way.
Organize information and obtain new data from it. It is possible to think of computers as large, powerful calculators, capable of receiving and sending information, but also of organizing and presenting it to the user according to specific criteria. Thus, it is possible to use a computer for logical and deductive operations that would take a person a lot of time and effort to complete, just as we do when we use a spreadsheet and ask the system to construct graphs with the data provided. The same happens when we ask you to retrieve information from your database according to a specific criterion, such as a keyword, for example.
Establish remote communications. One of the main uses of computers today has to do with their ability to connect to each other through a computer network, which gives the computer access to information contained in other geographically distant machines. This data transmission can be done through different physical means: radio waves (Wi-Fi), fiberglass cables, infrared beams, among others. Thanks to this, valuable information in the contemporary world is not contained in a single medium, but rather usually has copies scattered throughout the planet.
Act autonomously and simulate intelligence. One of the most recent functions of computers has to do with forms of artificial intelligence and the so-called “machine learning” (learning algorithms), which allow the computer to select, store and transmit information without the user requesting it, in order to proactively anticipate their tastes and needs, or provide them with a specific interaction that simulates the presence of a being smart on the other side of the screen. This is what happens with video games, for example, in which the computer can compete with the user to entertain them.