Meaning of Computer Program
Computer programs, also known as applications and software packages, are the software components that make computers perform necessary tasks. Whatever you may need a computer to do, from basic word processing to complex aerospace design work to surfing the Internet, the computer's ability to perform the required functions is driven by a computer program. This article will explore the history of computer programs, types of programs, benefits and considerations regarding their use.
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History
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The history of computer programs dates back to the earliest analog calculating devices and counting mechanisms. In the more modern sense, however, computer programs trace their roots to the punch card system developed by Charles Babbage for programming his "Analytical Engine." Conceptualized in the mid-1800s, the cards were neither practical nor applicable until after the turn of the 20th century. They were later refined by engineers at International Business Machines (IBM). Later advances in computer technology, specifically the Von Neumann architecture, allowed computer programs to be created in "soft" form (as opposed to physical punch cards), and the FORTRAN programming language was created in 1954. Since that time, exponential increases in computing technology has given birth to myriad programs written across a spectrum of programming languages.
Types
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Modern computers can perform an unlimited number of tasks, and programs drive everything from the simplest to the most complex computer usage. Cellular phones and handheld computers like the Palm Treo rely on software to perform calculator, calendar, gaming and even telephone applications. Computer programs drive a plethora of business applications (such as spreadsheets, word processing, desktop faxing, graphing, forecasting, designing and drafting), and even provide the software platform for operation of the Internet. Even the Space Shuttle uses computer programs to maintain its trajectory, orbit and landing operations.
Popular program types include games, economic applications (like spreadsheets), word processors, Web browsers, e-mail packages (like Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail) and graphics software. While they are technically programs, many computer users consider the machine's operating system itself to be a component of the machine rather than an actual program, though the hundreds of programmers who worked to create popular operating systems like Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X would likely disagree.
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Programming Languages
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Since the invention of "soft" programming in the 1950s, hundreds of programming languages have come and gone. Early languages, like FORTRAN and COBOL, served their purpose quite well in the 1950s and 1960s, though the complex nature of modern software has rendered them largely obsolete. Some of the more popular programming languages of the 21st century include, but are by no means limited to, Java, C, C++, C#, Object Pascal, Perl, JavaScript, SQL and HTML. It should be noted that Java and JavaScript are separate languages, while two other popular languages, BASIC and VisualBasic, share marked commonalities.
Significance
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The advent of computer programming technology has fueled revolutionary change throughout the world, not the least of which is the development and proliferation of the Internet. The space program has been a huge consumer of computer programs, as has the military's need for surveillance applications and encryption of sensitive material. Modern telephones and cellular phones are driven by computer programs, and business applications of programs are virtually limitless. Programs are used to track packages being delivered as well as track flights in the air. Software programs enable many advanced features, such as GPS navigation and MP3 players, in cars and homes, and carry similar features into aircraft carrying passengers around the world. The Web browser you are using to read this article is, itself, a program, as is the Web site on which you are viewing it.
Considerations
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With the complex nature of programs and their far-reaching, even global, implications, it is sometimes easy to forget that all computer programs were created by humans. Since human beings are inherently imperfect, so too are their programs. Software errors do occur, some more frequently than others, and it is important to remember that all computer applications can be broken. For this reason, frequent backups of data and redundant computer programs for critical tasks are essential for smooth computer operation.
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