What are any three characteristics of a computer?

Answer 1

There is only one characteristic of a computer: the ability to compute; to perform computations. That is why we call them computers.

The three major components of a computer are an input device, a processing device and an output device. Regardless of whether it is a biological, analogue or digital computer, it must have all three to be regarded a computer. However, they are not characteristic of a computer.

For instance, a keyboard is specifically an input device but if it has an LED display then it is also an output device that responds to an input (such as toggling CAPS LOCK on and off). But it has no processor, so it is not a computer. If we regarded a keyboard as a computer simply because it has input and output devices, then we'd also have to regard the common light switch as a computer.

Of the three, the processor could be regarded as the primary characteristic, but without an input device a processor has nothing to process and therefore cannot compute. The output device may be the least important, but without an output, how do we know what has been computed? Thus we need all three to have the ability to compute, and that is the one and only characteristic of any computer.

Answer 2

Computers have a number of basic characteristics. Namely, they are able to store data, and they are able to access the internet.

Answer 3

1. Fully electronic and fully programmable.

2. Binary and separate programand data

Answer 4

Speed, Reliability and Storage Capacity