Khan Academy and Code.org | What Makes a Computer, a Computer?

Summary

In this video, May-Li Khoe and Nat discuss the fundamental principles of how computers work. They explain that all computers, regardless of their design, perform four essential tasks: input, storage, processing, and output. They provide examples of how computers interact with the world, from traditional inputs like keyboards to more advanced sensors, and how they use algorithms to process information. The video highlights how computers have evolved from basic calculators to powerful machines that shape modern life, encouraging viewers to imagine and influence the future of technology.

Takeaways

• 💻 Computers are everywhere today, from pockets to cars and even on wrists.
• 🛠 Humans have always created tools to solve problems, and computers are modern tools that help with thinking tasks.
• 🔢 Early computers started as basic calculators, but have since evolved to do far more, like communication, gaming, and controlling robots.
• 🤖 All computers perform four key functions: input, store, process, and output information.
• 🖥 Inputs come from devices like keyboards, mice, microphones, and touchscreens, and can also include sensors like heart monitors.
• 📊 A computer's processor manipulates information from memory using algorithms and stores the results back in memory.
• 🖼 Outputs vary depending on the task, from displaying text and images to controlling robots or virtual reality.
• 🌐 Connected computers use the internet to share input and output between systems, enabling more complex functions.
• 🧠 The earliest computers were mechanical and slow, while modern computers are much more efficient, yet still perform the same four basic tasks.
• 🔮 The future of computing will continue to evolve, and it's up to future generations to shape what computers will become.

Q & A

What are some of the jobs that May-Li Khoe has worked in?

May-Li Khoe has worked as a designer and inventor at Apple, where she designed products. She now focuses on creating products for kids to help them in school. She is also a DJ and dancer.

What common tools did humans historically build to help solve problems?

Historically, humans built tools like the wheelbarrow, hammer, printing press, and tractor trailer to solve manual work problems.

What is the difference between early tools like a wheelbarrow and modern computers?

Early tools helped with manual tasks like moving objects, while modern computers help solve thinking problems by manipulating information.

What four tasks does a computer need to perform to be considered a computer?

A computer must perform four tasks: take input, store information, process it, and output the results.

How did early computers differ from modern ones in terms of size and speed?

Early computers were large, sometimes the size of a room, and were slow, often taking hours to solve basic math problems. Modern computers are much smaller and faster.

What were the earliest computers used for?

The earliest computers were used as basic calculators to manipulate numbers.

What kinds of inputs can modern computers take?

Modern computers can take input through keyboards, mice, microphones, cameras, touchscreens, and even sensors that track things like heartbeats or car data.

What happens to information after it is input into a computer?

After information is input into a computer, it is stored in memory, processed by the computer's processor using algorithms, and then returned to memory for further use or output.

What are some examples of computer outputs?

Computer outputs can include text, photos, videos, interactive games, virtual reality displays, or even signals to control a robot.

How does the internet affect the input and output of computers?

When computers are connected over the internet, the output of one computer can become the input of another, allowing for continuous information exchange between systems.

What is the main function that all computers share, regardless of their appearance or technology?

All computers, regardless of their design or technology, perform the same basic functions: they take in information, store it, process it, and output the results.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Introduction to May-Li and Her Passion for Design

May-Li Khoe introduces herself as a designer and inventor. She shares her experience designing products at Apple and now creates tools for children to use in school. In addition to her design career, she enjoys DJing and dancing. This paragraph sets the upbeat tone for the video with lively music playing in the background.

💻 Ubiquity of Computers and Initial Question

May-Li discusses how computers are found everywhere—from pockets to cars to even wristwatches. She then poses a fundamental question: what exactly makes a computer a computer? This inquiry serves as the central theme of the video, prompting viewers to think about the essential functions of computers.

👾 Meet Nat: Xbox Designer and Computer Enthusiast

Nat, another presenter, introduces himself as one of the original designers of the Xbox and someone who's been fascinated by computers since childhood. He now works on virtual reality. Nat transitions the conversation from the physical presence of computers to their functional role in human history as tools that assist with thinking, not just physical tasks.

🛠️ Evolution of Tools to Thinking Machines

This paragraph traces the evolution of human tools—from simple devices like wheelbarrows to complex machines like tractors. As humans progressed, they began to wonder if machines could help with mental tasks, such as solving mathematical equations or tracking stars. The shift from manipulating physical objects to manipulating information marked a significant advancement.

🧠 Four Core Functions of Computers

The paragraph explains the fundamental tasks a computer must perform: take input, store information, process it, and output the results. These four actions define what makes a computer a computer. Although the concept seems straightforward, it's critical to all computers, regardless of how they look or operate.

⚙️ Early Computers: Mechanical to Electrical

Nat highlights the transition from early mechanical computers made of wood and metal to 20th-century machines using electrical components. These early computers were enormous and slow, often taking hours to perform simple mathematical operations. A historical announcer adds context to the technological wonder of these 'gleaming' machines.

🔢 Early Calculators to Modern Versatile Computers

The paragraph outlines how computers started as basic calculators, which was a major innovation at the time. Since then, computers have evolved to perform much more than number crunching—they enable communication, gaming, robot control, and endless other applications.

🚀 Modern Computers and Their Core Functions

Despite their vastly different appearances, modern computers still perform the same four essential tasks: input, storage, processing, and output. This paragraph prepares the audience for a deeper exploration of how these functions manifest in today’s devices.

🎮 Exploring Input: How Computers Sense the World

May-Li dives into the first core function of computers—input. She explains how computers receive input from various sources like keyboards, mice, microphones, cameras, and even sensors in smartwatches or cars. These inputs allow computers to sense and respond to their environment, making this part of computing especially interactive and fun.

📊 Processing and Output: The Inner Workings of Computers

This paragraph explains the flow of data within a computer. After receiving input, the computer's processor manipulates the information using algorithms and stores the processed data in memory. Eventually, the processed information is outputted, whether in the form of text, video, games, or even control signals for robots. Computers connected over the internet can send and receive inputs and outputs from one another.

🖥️ Reflecting on the Future of Computers

The video concludes by reflecting on the evolution of computers and their consistent four core functions. While the form and technology of computers have drastically changed, these functions remain the same. The presenters encourage the audience to think about and shape the future of computers, suggesting that the viewers may help determine what tomorrow’s computers will look like.

Keywords

💡Computer

A computer is a machine designed to take input, store information, process it, and output results. In the video, computers are described as evolving from large mechanical devices to the modern, sleek machines we use today. The video emphasizes that while their form has changed, their core functions remain the same—manipulating information to perform tasks like calculations, communication, and entertainment.

💡Input

Input refers to the data or signals that a computer receives from the external world, such as a keyboard, mouse, or sensors. The video explains how input is crucial because it’s what allows users to interact with computers, making them perform tasks based on what the user does. Examples include typing on a keyboard, touching a screen, or using a microphone.

💡Output

Output is the information or signals that a computer sends out after processing. The video provides examples of output, such as displaying images on a screen, playing sounds, or sending commands to control robots. It shows how output can vary depending on the device, such as virtual reality visuals or control signals in robotics.

💡Processor

The processor, or central processing unit (CPU), is the part of the computer that manipulates data by executing a series of commands known as algorithms. In the video, the processor's role is discussed as transforming information taken from memory and sending the processed data back for further use or output.

💡Memory

Memory in a computer refers to where data is stored for both short-term and long-term use. The video discusses how memory holds input data and processed information, allowing the processor to manipulate it and store the results. This continuous cycle of storing and retrieving data is essential for a computer’s function.

💡Algorithm

An algorithm is a set of instructions that the processor follows to manipulate data. The video describes algorithms as key to how a computer processes information, such as solving problems or performing tasks like controlling a robot. Algorithms are fundamental to the computer’s ability to execute commands and produce desired outcomes.

💡Information

Information in the context of computers refers to the data that is input, processed, stored, and output by the machine. The video emphasizes that computers are designed to handle information, whether it's numbers in early computers or more complex data like text, images, and signals in modern devices.

💡Early Computers

Early computers were large, mechanical devices made of wood and metal, using gears and levers. The video contrasts these machines with modern computers, noting that although they were slow and bulky, they laid the foundation for today’s digital technology. Early computers were primarily used for calculations, taking hours to solve simple math problems.

💡Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation that allows users to interact with an immersive, digital environment. In the video, one of the speakers mentions working with VR as an example of how far computers have come in terms of what they can output, creating entirely new worlds for users to explore.

💡Technology Evolution

The evolution of technology refers to the progression of computers from simple mechanical devices to the advanced, versatile machines we use today. The video traces this journey, explaining how early computers were limited to basic calculations, but now they’re embedded in devices like smartphones and can perform complex tasks such as virtual reality and communication.

Highlights

May-Li Khoe introduces herself as a designer and inventor who has worked at Apple and now designs products for kids to use in school.

Computers are everywhere—in pockets, cars, and even on people's wrists—but what makes a computer a computer?

Nat, a designer of the original Xbox, has been working with computers since the age of seven and now works on virtual reality.

Humans have always built tools, like the wheelbarrow or printing press, to solve problems. Early computers were conceptualized to help with thinking work.

Computers evolved to perform four key tasks: taking input, storing information, processing data, and outputting results. These tasks are common to all computers.

Early computers were mechanical, made of wood and metal, and later transitioned to electrical components in the 20th century.

These early machines were large and slow, with room-sized computers taking hours to solve basic math problems.

Originally, computers were simple calculators, but now they enable communication, gaming, robotics control, and much more.

Despite modern advances, all computers today still perform the same four tasks as the early models.

Input devices such as keyboards, mice, touchscreens, and microphones provide data that tells the computer what to do.

A computer processes input using algorithms, stores the data in memory, and continues processing until the output is ready.

Outputs can be displayed as text, videos, games, virtual reality, or even signals that control robots.

The internet allows computers to send output from one machine as input to another, enabling global connectivity.

Computers of today look very different from their early counterparts, and the design of future computers is yet to be determined.

All computers, regardless of their technology, still perform the four basic functions: input, storage, processing, and output.

Transcripts

(upbeat music) - One, two, three, four!

- My name is May-Li Khoe and I'm a designer and an inventor.

So, some of the things I've designed have been at Apple,

and now I design products for kids to use

so that they can have an easier time in school.

My other jobs include DJ'ing and dancing.

(upbeat, bouncy music)

Computers are everywhere.

They're in people's pockets,

they're in people's cars, people have them on their wrists,

they might be in your backpack right now,

but what makes a computer a computer?

- What does make a computer a computer anyway?

- And how does it even work?

(upbeat guitar music)

- Hi, I'm Nat.

I was one of the original designers of the Xbox.

I've been working with computers since I was, maybe,

seven years old and now I work on virtual reality.

(fast, jazzy music)

As humans, we've always built tools

to help us solve problems.

Tools like a wheelbarrow, a hammer,

or a printing press, or a tractor trailer.

All of these inventions helped us with manual work.

Over time, people began to wonder

if a machine could be designed and built

to help us with the thinking work we do.

Like solving equations or tracking the stars in the sky.

Rather than moving or manipulating physical things,

like dirt and stone, these machines

would need to be designed to manipulate information.

- As the pioneers of computer science

explored how to design a thinking machine,

they realized that it had to perform four different tasks.

It would need to take input, store information,

process it, and then output the results.

Now this might sound simple,

but these four things are common to all computers.

And that's what makes a computer a computer.

- [Nat] The earliest computers were made out of

wood and metal with mechanical levers and gears.

By the 20th century though,

computers started using electrical components.

These early computers were really large and really slow.

A computer the size of a room might take

hours just to do a basic math problem.

- [Announcer] These machines are things of gleaming,

varied colored metal

and numerous flashing lights.

- Computers started out as basic calculators,

which was already really awesome at the time

and they were only manipulating numbers back then.

But now we can use them to talk to each other,

we can use them to play games,

control robots, and do any crazy

thing that you could probably imagine.

- Modern computers look nothing

like those clunky old machines,

but they still do the same four things.

(funky, upbeat music)

- First, we're gonna talk about input.

This is my favorite because what input is,

is the stuff that the world does,

or that you do that makes the computer do stuff.

You can tell a computer what to do with the keyboard,

you can tell them what to do with the mouse,

the microphone, the camera,

and now if you're wearing a computer on your wrist,

it might listen to your heartbeat,

or in your car it might be listening

to what the car is doing.

And a touchscreen can actually sense your finger

and it takes that as input on what it's doing.

- All these different inputs give the computer information,

which is then stored in memory.

A computer's processor takes information for memory,

it manipulates it or changes it

using algorithm, which is just a series of commands,

and then it sends the process information

back to be stored in memory again.

This continues until the processed

information is ready to be output.

How a computer outputs information

depends on what the computer is designed to do.

A computer display can show texts, photos, videos,

or interactive games, even virtual reality.

The output of a computer may even

include signals to control a robot.

And when computers connect over the internet,

the output from one computer becomes

the input to another, and vice versa.

- The computers we use today look

really different from the earliest thinking machines.

And who knows what the computers of tomorrow will be like.

My hope is that you get to help decide

what you want the computers of tomorrow to look like.

But across all computers, regardless of

the different types of technology they use,

they're also doing the same four things.

They take in information, they store it as data,

they process it, and then they output the results.