ISBN: 9781489904799

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithso… Mehr…

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Wash- ington, D.C., there is an exhibit of early computers.Three features of these machines are striking. First, they are enormous, especially in com- parison to their capabilities.The museum visitor who has just come from the Natural History building next door may be reminded of fossilized di- nosaur bones.Second, they don't look at all like modern computing ma- chines.The cases are made of crude metal or beautifully worked wood, recalling an approach to the design of scientific apparatus which belongs to a previous generation.Lastly, the function of these machines is mainly to compute-to perform rapid arithmetic.The computer of today bears little resemblance in size, form, or function to its ancestors.It is, most obviously, smaller by several orders of mag- nitude.Its form has changed from the carefully crafted one-of-a-kind in- strument to the mass-produced microchip.But the change in its function is perhaps the most dramatic of all.Instead of being a computing engine, it is a machine for the processing of information.The word "processor" has come into common usage. A processor used to be a central processing unit-a set of wires and vacuum tubes, or later a set of printed circuit boards-which was nestled deep within the computer.Today a processor is an off-the-shelf component.; PDF; Reference > Interdisciplinary studies, Springer New York<

ISBN: 9781489904799

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithso… Mehr…

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Wash- ington, D.C., there is an exhibit of early computers.Three features of these machines are striking. First, they are enormous, especially in com- parison to their capabilities.The museum visitor who has just come from the Natural History building next door may be reminded of fossilized di- nosaur bones.Second, they don't look at all like modern computing ma- chines.The cases are made of crude metal or beautifully worked wood, recalling an approach to the design of scientific apparatus which belongs to a previous generation.Lastly, the function of these machines is mainly to compute-to perform rapid arithmetic.The computer of today bears little resemblance in size, form, or function to its ancestors.It is, most obviously, smaller by several orders of mag- nitude.Its form has changed from the carefully crafted one-of-a-kind in- strument to the mass-produced microchip.But the change in its function is perhaps the most dramatic of all.Instead of being a computing engine, it is a machine for the processing of information.The word "processor" has come into common usage. A processor used to be a central processing unit-a set of wires and vacuum tubes, or later a set of printed circuit boards-which was nestled deep within the computer.Today a processor is an off-the-shelf component.; PDF; Reference > Interdisciplinary studies, Springer US<

ISBN: 9781489904799

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithso… Mehr…

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing.In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer.In the American History museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Wash- ington, D.C., there is an exhibit of early computers.Three features of these machines are striking. First, they are enormous, especially in com- parison to their capabilities.The museum visitor who has just come from the Natural History building next door may be reminded of fossilized di- nosaur bones.Second, they don't look at all like modern computing ma- chines.The cases are made of crude metal or beautifully worked wood, recalling an approach to the design of scientific apparatus which belongs to a previous generation.Lastly, the function of these machines is mainly to compute-to perform rapid arithmetic.The computer of today bears little resemblance in size, form, or function to its ancestors.It is, most obviously, smaller by several orders of mag- nitude.Its form has changed from the carefully crafted one-of-a-kind in- strument to the mass-produced microchip.But the change in its function is perhaps the most dramatic of all.Instead of being a computing engine, it is a machine for the processing of information.The word "processor" has come into common usage. A processor used to be a central processing unit-a set of wires and vacuum tubes, or later a set of printed circuit boards-which was nestled deep within the computer.Today a processor is an off-the-shelf component.; PDF; Reference > Interdisciplinary studies, Springer US<

ISBN: 9781489904799

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing. In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer. In the American History museum of the Smith… Mehr…

Computers these days spend a fairly low fraction of their time computing. In fact, the very word "computer" has become something of a misnomer. In the American History museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Wash­ ington, D.C., there is an exhibit of early computers. Three features of these machines are striking. First, they are enormous, especially in com­ parison to their capabilities. The museum visitor who has just come from the Natural History building next door may be reminded of fossilized di­ nosaur bones. Second, they don't look at all like modern computing ma­ chines. The cases are made of crude metal or beautifully worked wood, recalling an approach to the design of scientific apparatus which belongs to a previous generation. Lastly, the function of these machines is mainly to compute-to perform rapid arithmetic. The computer of today bears little resemblance in size, form, or function to its ancestors. It is, most obviously, smaller by several orders of mag­ nitude. Its form has changed from the carefully crafted one-of-a-kind in­ strument to the mass-produced microchip. But the change in its function is perhaps the most dramatic of all. Instead of being a computing engine, it is a machine for the processing of information. The word "processor" has come into common usage. A processor used to be a central processing unit-a set of wires and vacuum tubes, or later a set of printed circuit boards-which was nestled deep within the computer. Today a processor is an off-the-shelf component., Birkhäuser<

ISBN: 9781489904799

Real-Time Software Design - A Guide for Microprocessor Systems: ab 53.49 € eBooks > Fachthemen & Wissenschaft > Wissenschaften allgemein Birkhäuser Boston eBook als pdf, Birkhäuser Boston

Real-Time Software Design - A Guide for Microprocessor Systems: ab 53.49 € eBooks > Fachthemen & Wissenschaft > Wissenschaften allgemein Birkhäuser Boston eBook als pdf, Birkhäuser Boston<