What Is a Computer Program?

Computers are so widespread in our society because they have three advantages over us humans . First, computers can store huge amounts of information. Second, they can recall that information quickly and accurately. Third, computers can perform calculations with lightning speed and perfect accuracy.

The advantages that computers have over us even extend to thinking sports like chess. In 1997, the computer Deep Blue beat the world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, in a chess match. In 2003, Kasparov was out for revenge against another computer, Deep Junior, but only drew the match. Kasparov, while perhaps the best chess player ever, is only human, and therefore no match for the computers ability to calculate and remember prior games .

However, we have one very significant advantage over computers. We think on our own, while computers dont, at least not yet anyway. Indeed, computers fundamentally are far more brawn than brain. A computer cannot do anything without step-by-step instructions from us telling it what to do. These instructions are called a computer program, and of course are written by a human, namely a computer programmer. Computer programs enable us to harness the computers tremendous power.