计算机专业英语听说（二）.docVIP

计算机专业英语听说（二） What does a computer do? What is hardware and software? A computer takes information, process it, and outputs the results. Hardware is the physical component such as the monitor and hard drives It is set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.. In the 19th century, what do many fields relied upon? It is a machine used by the Germans during WWII to encrypt their radio messages. Who created the tables, what were these people called, and what was wrong with the tables? Specially trained specialists would spend entire careers calculating the figures. They were called computers. The tables contained many mistakes. What does the difference engine do and who benefits from it? And what was the difficulties in building it? The difference engine is a machine that would make calculations without any error to create tables for other fields. The British government and the people would benefit the most. The machine shops at the time could not build the parts precisely as required. What is the difference between a mechanical computer and an electronic digital computer? A mechanical computer calculates using physical gears, shafts, etc. while electronic digital computers uses electricity to create on off states to make calculations. Who was Charles Babbage? Charles Babbage was a 19th century British scientist aristocrat. He was the inventor of the difference engine and the analytical engine, both of which were considered proto-computers. Who was Herman Hollerith? He was a MIT instructor that invented a tabulation machine that was used by the census bureau to speed up the count. Who was Ada Augusta? She was a countess who first described the analytical engine and wrote hypothetical problems in which the machine can solve. Why wasnt Holleriths machine successful with the railroads? Because it was too slow for the railraod industry What is the Enigma Machine? It is a machine used by the Germans during WWII to encrypt their radio messages. What was coloss