digital computer

computer whose operations are based on a binary system

A computer is a machine which manipulates data according to a list of instructions.Computers take numerous physical forms. The first devices that resemble modern computers date to the mid-20th century (around 1940 - 1941), although the computer concept and various machines similar to computers existed prior. Early electronic computers were the size of a large room, consuming as much power as several hundred modern personal computers. Modern computers are based on comparatively tiny integrated circuits and are millions to billions of times more capable while occupying a fraction of the space. Today, simple computers may be made small enough to fit into a wrist watch and be powered from a watch battery. Personal computers in various forms are icons of the information age and are what most people think of as "a computer". However, the most common form of computer in use today is by far the embedded computer. Embedded computers are small, simple devices that are often used to control other devices — for example, they may be found in machines ranging from  fighter aircraft to industrial robots, digital cameras, and even children's toys.
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Noun
1. a computer that represents information by numerical (binary) digits
(hypernym) computer, computing machine, computing device, data processor, electronic computer, information processing system
(hyponym) bulletin board system, bulletin board, electronic bulletin board, bbs

A computer that consists of one or more central processing units (CPUs), that is controlled by internally stored programs, and that stores and processes data in digital form.

<computer> A computer that represents numbers and other data using discrete internal states, in contrast to the continuously varying quantities used in an analog computer.
Some of the fundamental ideas behind the digital computer were proposed by Alan Turing between 1936 and 1938. The design of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (1937-1942) included some of the important implementation details but the first digital computer to successfully run real programs was the Z3 (1941). ENIAC (1943-1946) was the first electronic digital computer but was only programmable by manual rewiring or switches.
(2003-10-01)