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How Computers Work: Demystifying Computation

come up with = encontrar//predate = ser anterior//with regard to= en consideración a; con


respecto a //advent = llegada //ubiquitous=omnipresente//the number of =la cantidad
de//keynote speech =discurso de apertura//such a/an adj+ sustantivo= a/an sustantivo such
adj//integral=incorporado;utilizado//overlook = pasar por alto// unfathomable =
incomprensible//layperson=persona que no es un profesional ni expertoen ninguna material//
overwhelming = abrumador

Defining a computer
In this step we’re going to look at what we mean by the term Computer, and try to come
up with ( trataremos de encontrar ) a definition for what a computer actually is.

It often surprises (sorprende) people that the term computer predates (preceda) the
discovery of electricity generation. Originally it was a term that applied to humans. These
people would carry out hundreds of laborious (dificiles) mathematical calculations, obeying
very strict rules to obtain answers. Often, teams of human computers would work on a task,
allowing calculations to be conducted (realizados) in parallel.

The modern computer doesn’t differ much from the early human computers, with regard to
(con respecto a) its basic function. They still do little more than carry out laborious
calculations. However, with the advent (llegada) of modern electronics, these machines can
now perform billions of calculations every second. This ability to perform these
calculations at such an incredible speed means that, given the correct set of instructions,
computers can perform an unbelievable range of highly complex tasks (s.m.o. debido a la
alta velocidad puede hacer tareas altamente complejas ,descomponiendo estas muchas
pequeñas tareas).

Modern computers are almost ubiquitous (omniprescentes), and it is surprising the number
of places that computers can be found. We all recognise that our desktops and laptops are
computers, and most people could identify that their phones, tablets and games consoles are
also computers. However computers are in some of the most mundane (mas cotidianos)
objects in our lives. Our microwaves, our traffic-lights, our childrens’ toys all might contain
computers. Cory Doctorow summarised it pretty well in his keynote speech at the Chaos
Computer Congress, titled The Coming War On General Computation:

There are no airplanes, only computers that fly. There are no cars, only computers we sit in
(en las que nos sentamos). There are no hearing aids (audífonos), only computers we put in
our ears (oidos).

With computers so integral(incorporado) to our daily lives and performing such a wide
range of extremely complex tasks, it is easy to either overlook them (pasarlas por alto)
completely or else regard them (considerarlas) as such complicated and unfathomable
(incomprensible) devices that they are impossible for a layperson to even begin to
comprehend. Hopefully(con optimismo), as you progress through this course, you will
begin to understand what a computer actually is, and have some understanding of how they
work. If at any time you find the concepts a little overwhelming, it can help to keep this
quote in mind.

Let’s begin with a quick definition.

A general-purpose computer is one that, given the appropriate instructions and required
time, should be able to perform most common computing tasks.

This sets (coloca) a general purpose computer aside from (aparte de ) a special-purpose
computer, like the one you might find in your dishwasher which may have its instructions
hardwired or coded into the machine (como la que puede encontrar en su lavavajillas, la cual
puede tener sus instrucciones cableadas o codificadas en la máquina). Special purpose
computers only perform a single set of tasks according to prewritten instructions. From
now on we’ll take the term computer to mean general purpose computer.

Using a simplified model, we can talk about a computer with regard to inputs, processing
and outputs. The diagram below sums it up pretty well.

aside from =aparte de//

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