Computer Science
Computer Science is generally defined as the study of both computing,
hardware and software. Computer science covers a wide range of
computer-related topics, from abstract analysis of algorithms to more
concrete subjects such as programming languages, software, including
hardware. As a discipline, Computer Science emphasizes more on
computer programming, and software engineering, while computer
engineering is more likely to be concerned with things like computer
hardware. However, the two terms are often misunderstood by many
people.
The Church-Turing thesis states that all commonly known computing
tools are actually the same in terms of what they can do, albeit with
different efficiencies. This thesis is sometimes considered a fundamental
principle of computer science. Computer scientists usually emphasize
von Neumann computers or Turing machines (computers that perform
small, deterministic tasks at a given time), because that is how most
computers are used today. Computer scientists also study other types of
machines, some of which are not yet of practical use (such as neural
computers, DNA computers, and quantum computers) and some of
which are still quite theoretical (such as random computers and oracle
computers).
Computer Science studies what some programs can do, and what they
cannot (computability and artificial intelligence), how they should
evaluate a result (algorithms), how they should store and retrieve certain
bits of information (data structures), and how programs and users
communicate (user interfaces and programming languages). Computer
science has its roots in electronics, mathematics and linguistics. In the
last three decades of the 20th century, computer science has become a
new discipline and has developed its own methods and terminology.
The first computer science department was established at Purdue
University in 1962. Almost all universities now have computer science
departments. The highest award in computer science is the Turing
Award, the winners of this award are all pioneers in the field. Edsger
Dijkstra said Computer science is not about computers just as
astronomy is not about telescopes. Physicist Richard Feynman says
computer science is not as old as physics, a few hundred years younger.
However, this does not mean that the "diet" of computer scientists is
much smaller than that of physicists. Younger indeed, but raised much
more intensively!
Computer Science is generally defined as the study of both computing,
hardware and software. Computer science covers a wide range of
computer-related topics, from abstract analysis of algorithms to more
concrete subjects such as programming languages, software, including
hardware. As a discipline, Computer Science emphasizes more on
computer programming, and software engineering, while computer
engineering is more likely to be concerned with things like computer
hardware. However, the two terms are often misunderstood by many
people.
The Church-Turing thesis states that all commonly known computing
tools are actually the same in terms of what they can do, albeit with
different efficiencies. This thesis is sometimes considered a fundamental
principle of computer science. Computer scientists usually emphasize
von Neumann computers or Turing machines (computers that perform
small, deterministic tasks at a given time), because that is how most
computers are used today. Computer scientists also study other types of
machines, some of which are not yet of practical use (such as neural
computers, DNA computers, and quantum computers) and some of
which are still quite theoretical (such as random computers and oracle
computers).
Computer Science studies what some programs can do, and what they
cannot (computability and artificial intelligence), how they should
evaluate a result (algorithms), how they should store and retrieve certain
bits of information (data structures), and how programs and users
communicate (user interfaces and programming languages). Computer
science has its roots in electronics, mathematics and linguistics. In the
last three decades of the 20th century, computer science has become a
new discipline and has developed its own methods and terminology.
The first computer science department was established at Purdue
University in 1962. Almost all universities now have computer science
departments. The highest award in computer science is the Turing
Award, the winners of this award are all pioneers in the field. Edsger
Dijkstra said Computer science is not about computers just as
astronomy is not about telescopes. Physicist Richard Feynman says
computer science is not as old as physics, a few hundred years younger.
However, this does not mean that the "diet" of computer scientists is
much smaller than that of physicists. Younger indeed, but raised much
more intensively!
