English Essay/Paragraph/Speech on “Computer” for Kids and Students for Class 8, 9, 10, Class 12 and Graduation Examination

Computer

Man is very innovative by nature. He has invented many electrical devices for his comforts and ease but the invention of computer may be regarded as the jewel in the crown. Since its inception the computer technology has changed fast from personal to mini, macro and super computers. They can perform complex and repetitive calculations with high speed and accuracy, store large amounts of data and information, draw and print various graphs and its output is reliable. They are so versatile that they have become indispensable to engineers, scientists, executives, administrators, teachers, students and many more.

A computer is an electronic device that receives stores or processes data very quickly according to user’s instructions or a stored programme to give a logically desired accurate result. The first Analytical Machine was designed by Charles Babbage (1792-1871) who is referred to as the ‘Father of Computing’. The computer age started with the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) in 1946 at the Moore School of Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. It was used for simple calculations. After three years John Neumann developed EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) which was also a calculating machine but also had the concept of ‘memory for storage of data.

Depending on their size, memory or storage capacity, and speed, the computers are of many kinds. Today we have the fastest computer CRAY-2 and the smallest may be known as LAPTOP computer. The portable Desk-Top computers or Personal Computers are being excessively used in different spheres of life. The IBM and Apple Inc are the world leaders in these computers. The computers and their accessories along with the softwares made by these two giant companies rule the world.

Broadly speaking, the computer industry has two sections – Hardware and software. Hardware is the physical components of the computer. A software is a set of instructions which are written together so as to enable the computer to follow them and achieve the desired results. These instructions are written in some special format or language which is understood by any computer. Some of these special languages are known as BASIC, COBOL, dBASE, FORTRAN, ALGOL, C-Language etc.

With the diversified use of PC’s (Personal Computers) the need for software packages capable of performing a variety of functions had been felt and with the result a large number of different programmes for the different sections of – society were developed. For example, software like Pagemaker, Ventura are designed for book industry, Corel-draw and Paintbrush are used by artists, some special accounting packages are used by big business houses, special packages have been designed for scientists and engineers so as to accomplish their task more efficiently. Students are being taught in schools and colleges with the help of some informative and educational softwares. Banking industry, Transport authorities, railway and airlines information and reservation system have been totally revolutionised with the help of computers.

The stupendous task of population census, preparation of various analysis graphs, charts and other reports based on those figures, compilation of voters’ list in the second populous country of the world was just becoming impossible but for the help of computers. This explosive growth in the use of computers has created a tremendous demand for trained computer personnel for diverse computer operations. And thus, a new army of trained personnel is being organised throughout the world to combat the present as well as the forthcoming challenges facing the world with much ease and comfort.

In India, the first computer was built in 1966 by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre added to the series. Computers which had a humble beginning and a modest going are now a powerful booming affair. The computers by themselves lack common sense or the power of thinking or differentiating between right or wrong and solely depend on the programmes which are fed into their memory. But the day is not far when Artificial Intelligence will exist i.e. the machine will think and analyse logically just like a human mind.

Now, even this powerful and effective friend of man is threatened by the *Computer Virus’. This virus is deadly enough to completely destroy or wipe out valuable information stored in the computer. But still the future prospects of computer industry are promising and many more vivid imaginations of man will take shape because of these computers.