A computer is an electronic machine that stores and processes information, following instructions called programs. It can perform many tasks, from simple calculations to complex simulations.
Originally, 'computer' in the 1600s meant a person who computes, or does calculations. Only in the 20th century did it shift to machines that took over this calculating work.
Before electronic devices, 'computers' were people—often teams of women doing long, careful calculations by hand. Modern computers are just incredibly fast, tireless versions of that original human job.
The word 'computer' originally referred to people, many of them women, who performed calculations by hand, before shifting to machines. As the field professionalized and became associated with higher status, women were pushed out or marginalized, and computing culture became male-dominated.
Use 'computer' neutrally for machines; when discussing the field, avoid assuming computer experts or users are male by default. Acknowledge the diverse history of people who worked as computers and computer scientists.
Women such as Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, the ENIAC programmers, and many others were crucial in the development of computing, often receiving recognition only decades later.
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