Just what IS a computer anyway?
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The Apple iPad: Is it a computer?
Some argue it's not, citing the lack of a keyboard, a limited operating system, and the fact that users can't get under the hood and tinker. But the iPad does have a CPU, memory, and lot of other computer-y components.
Whichever way you go on the iPad-as-computer question, there's no doubting that our concept of the computer is changing as technology permeates our lives more and more.
Guest: Dwight Silverman
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Hardware Podcasts Tech & society
A great "non-answer" answer. As someone who has worked on software for business as well as software to test gas-turbine engines, I found Mr. Silverman's definition extremely lacking and simplistic. Kudos to you for pushing the nonhuman-centric definition and getting him to use the all favorite it depends. Ask any software developer or attorney about that phrase and you will quickly learn that it depends is the correct answer to any question. I hope that tomorrow's discussion is more satisfying.
Of course the ipad is a computer, it features all of the essential components of one: input, computation, output. The same argument applies for the computers in cellphones, video game consoles and cars. Are any of them personal computers? No, but that wasn't your question...
