A desktop computer is a personal computer that is designed

to fit conveniently on top of or under a typical office desk. They

usually consist of a monitor, keyboard, mouse and either a
horizontal or vertical (tower) form factor. Unlike a laptop,
which is portable, a desktop computer is meant to stay at
one location.

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When did the first desktops appear?

The first desktop computer was the Hewlett Packard 9100A, introduced in 1968. Since
then, there have been millions of desktop computers released and used throughout the world.

How are computers used today?

Today, computers make jobs that used to be complicated much simpler. For example,
you can write a letter in word processor, edit it anytime, spell check, print copies, and send it
to someone across the world in a matter of seconds. All of these activities would have taken
someone days, if not months, to do before. Also, these example are just a small fraction of
what computers can do.

What parts are needed for a computer to work?

A computer does not require all of the components mentioned above. However, a
computer cannot function without having at the very minimum all of the below parts.

 processor - component that executes instructions from the software and hardware.
 memory - temporary primary storage for data traveling between the storage and CPU.
 motherboard (with on-board video) - component that connects all components.
 storage device (e.g., hard drive) - slower secondary storage that permanently stores data.

A computer is not an acronym and sometimes abbreviated as comp or ˋputerˊ. The term
̏computer ̋ was originally given to humans mechanical device as they began replacing
(human computers) who performed the human computers. Today’s computers
numerical calculations using mechanical are electronic devices that accept data
calculators, such as the abacus and slide (input), process that data, produce output,
rule. T h e t e r m w a s l a t e r g i v e n t o a and store (storage) the r e s u l t s

The first digital computer
ENIAC, built during World
War II (1943-1946) and
were designed to help
automate the calculations
being done by human
computers. By doing these
calculations on a computer
they could be done much
and what most people think of as a computer was called the
faster and with fewer computers began utilizing
errors. Early computers transistors as well as
like the ENIAC used smaller and cheaper parts
vacuum tubes and were that allowed the ordinary
large (sometimes room person to own a computer.
size) and only found in
businesses, universities,
or governments. Later,