Calculator and Computer

I will answer as to my own opinion supported by what it is written in historical facts. Would you believe if I say that calculators are the ancestors of computers? In the history of computer development timeline, there exists two division about computer's development, the analog computers (mechanical, non-electronic) and the digital computers (electronic, micro-processor based). The first very primitive computer as they say is the abacus and then out of this comes a rich history of different mechanical engines which is also considered ancestors of computers. The popular one is even what they call "mechanical calculator" from the work of Blaise Pascal. With this, we have come a long way until we have the first punch cards and then to electronic calculators and then leading to the modern electronic computers. I am not lecturing about History 101 of computers development but rather I am pointing out that modern computers are achieved and developed from a very simple analog machines and their part in history should not be taken for granted. If our forefathers did not started it with the idea from a simple calculating machine, we will not achieve the feat of what the modern computers have. Do you know that calculators and computers only talk to us with two single digit numbers they know? its only zero and one! You can search for this topic and you will see what I am talking about. So by this function alone, what makes the computer different from a calculator if they only know the same as the digit of zero and one? So for me, calculators and computers are related and being the calculators as the "native" computers.

In electronics a computer (or a microcomputer) is a conjunction of a microprocessor, memories and I/O ports, all of those are contained in the most simple electronic calculator, so an electronic calculator is a computer. In fact the first microprocessor in the world (the intel 4004) was designed and used exclusively for make calculators, with the time the microprocessor were used for make other tasks beyond the mathematical calculations and then born the "computers" as we know today. So all the modern computers born as calculators in the early digital electronics years ago. Modern calculators are so powerful, some of them can make function graphics, resolve equation systems, or even differential equations, that's the power of a microprocessor on it. For me the calculators are not "extensions" of the human brain, simply are useful tools to make maths faster and with more precision. Regards.

This is a good and interesting discussion about calculator and Computers, in a Computer class you will get to know the history of computers and the first Computer generation were the calculators that were just able to perform addition and subtraction, these Computers were known as ABUCUS computers since then Computer have evolved from one generation to another performing more Complicated tasks. So calculator is just a simple computer perform basic arithmetic with small memory to handle these mathematical calculation. If you can get some book about Computer history and generation you will be able to understand more

This statement is true we can say calculator as a computer because it is also a machine. in keyboard also a numric keypad that is called calculator. We cannot say this is a replacement of computer.

I actually agree to you it just calculator and it small capacity than the computer

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Well... You are right. Actually if you will go to history of computer's you will find that the human minds started to discover and adding features in made calculator only and it became computer one day what we see today ... But if still some body is saying calculator is computer then it's wrong. Computer word itself carry so many features, which comes in our mind automatically when we hear this name as calculator do the same... Thanks...

Hi, I totally agree with your statement. Calculator cannot replace computer. Computer has lot more than calculator. Calculator was good a few decades back but now Computer is the best.

If we consider the hierarchy of development the computer can be termed as a developed and matured version of calculator. Calculator as the name indicates does the basics calculation stuffs. However computer can do many many things.

Calculator is a machine, it uses battery (not unless it was abacus). A machine is something that acts to do things easily that saves time and energy. With regards to complex thinking, calculator also proves to be a machine. A computer does what a calculator does and therefore is far more superior than a calculator, but for me both are usable machines and are very much in use in this generation.

That statement is correct, a calculator is actually a computer, many have confused with today computer and only think that a computer must be the one that you are using now. Lets analyze the word "Computer". Compute mean calculate, and computer is a man mad calculator that help to expedite your calculation without using your brain. . So a calculator is consider a type of computer. The computer that you are using now is also a calculator, but it is just in a more complex form and with more function where as the calculator is only having fixed function.

Technically speaking, the calculator is just another kind of computer. Their internal operation is in fact exactly the same, just with a different type of user interaction. They have microcontroller, a scaled down microprocessor, memory, I/O, all that the computer has. The main difference is the program. The calculator has a fixed program burned into the ROM and cannot be changed. The PC can be given any program in the hard disk, so it can perform any activity we want it to do. Anyway, the calculator being an extension to the brain? No way, it's just a tool, like the abacus, but with a great capacity. It by no way should replace the human thinking.

Calculators were developed to solve mathematical problem quickly. Whereas initially computer used to do the same. But the now they are different. Computers are much more advanced now a days. Like evolution both of them came of one same thing almost.

Hi, Calculator and Computer are two different technological advances.calculator is used for calculations as the name says it.In the initial days the computers are sued to compute(calculations).As you know compute is nothing but calculation but they used to do high end calculations which a normal calculator could not perform. Later Computer has passed many generations and what now we are using is advanced version of the 1st generation Compute-r. Calculator is now used to only calculations but computer capabilities are endless. So the idea behind both the instruments is one and the same,calculator can asl be called as compute-r. Happy mylotting