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The Capabilities and Limitations of a Computer

Capabilities of a Computer

These are the following capabilities of a computer:

1. Speed

- With a speed reaching up to fifty million operations per

second, a computer can process data faster than any

other machine designed to perform a similar task.

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2. Repetitiveness

- A computer can perform the same operation a

million times in exactly the same way. The various

operations are executed automatically by way of storedcomputer programs.

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3. Accuracy

- High-speed processing by a computer is accompaniedby high-accuracy results. A computer can be considered

100% accurate. The electronic circuitry of computers is

such that, when the machines are fed with correct

instructions or data and when the incoming data is error-

free, the accuracy of the output is relatively assured.

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4. Logical Operations

- The computer can make a decision based onalternative courses of action. The decisions of acomputer are, however, dependent on the programsprepared for it by the programmer. A decision consistsof two steps, namely:

a. Determining if a certain statement is true or false

b. Based on the result of the first step, choosing one or the

other course of action out of the alternatives provided inthe computer program.

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5. Computer Storage

- A computer has the ability to store large amounts of

data in compact and easily retrievable form. It can store

data at a very high speed.

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6. Discipline

- Discipline means that a computer can self-check andself-operate. A computer self-checks when it verifies theaccuracy if its own work by means of a parity check. In aparity check, the computer counts the number ofcharacters it has stored to make sure that there will be

no loss of data during processing. In self-operation, acomputer is capable of executing instructions on its own,without human intervention, once the program and thedata are fed into the computers memory.

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Limitations of Computer

The computer has the following limitations:

1. A computer cannot generate information on its own.

While it is true that a computer has the capacity to put

together information from many sources, it can only dothis if it has been programmed by man to do so.

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2. A computer cannot correct wrong instruction. If acomputer is fed with incorrect instructions or data,whether intentionally or unintentionally, it does not havethe capability to detect mistakes and correct them. Incomputer language, this is known as GIGO (garbage ingarbage out). This means that a computer that has beenfed with a wrong set of instructions or data will similarly

produce wrong information and wrong decisions.Therefore, any corrections must be done by theprogrammer.