Interesting Facts About Computer Most People Don’t Know

The Babbage Difference Engine was the first mechanical computer built in 1822 and weighed more than 700 pounds. The computer used vacuum tubes and a rotating drum with small capacitors that helped solve problems with 29 different variables. It was not until 1942 that a modern electronic digital computer was built. Unlike the Babbage Difference Engine, modern computers feature changeable stored programs and simultaneously carry out different tasks.

Technological advancements have made computers smaller-sized and more efficient. However, most people consider these computing devices just another ordinary product of technology. But the truth is, computers offer more than logging in and watching a movie, browsing the internet, creating a document and developing a program. That said, here are some exciting factors about computers you didn’t know.

Pressing Shift Key Fives Times Turns on Sticky Keys

A shift key is a modifier key found in different keyboard types and models that allows users to type single capital letters or insert top number symbols. For instance, you can press and hold the SHIFT button key and press A on the keyboard to generate a capital A. Similarly, pressing and holding the SHIFT key and pressing number 1 on US keyboards generates an exclamation mark (!). Generally, it is a key used to change functions on the keyboard.

However, pressing the SHIFT key five times activates other functions, which are other modifier keys like Ctrl, Function, Windows and Alt keys. These are referred to as sticky keys, which also allow the SHIFT key to remain active, and you can change symbols or capitalize letters without holding the key. Most people turn sticky keys accidentally or intentionally by pressing SHIFT five times.

Generally, the sticky keys feature is considered an accessibility service designed for computer users with physical disabilities or those unable to press multiple keys concurrently. These keys also let users press and release any modified key, and keep it activated until another key is pressed. Since starting sticky keys involves pressing the SHIFT key five times, turning it off requires a user to press three or more modified keys simultaneously (Alt, Ctrl, Windows). Users can utilize the Ease of Access Centre to activate or disable the sticky keys keyboard shortcut.

There’s A Recovery Mode at The Startup Window

Like any other electronic gadget, a computer’s operating system may face problems and fail to boot correctly. Windows operating systems include Advanced Boot Options that allow the computer to go into a recovery mode. This enables you to solve the issue in-house before calling a technician to fix the problem. For instance, users can utilize the System Recovery Options to restore their systems to earlier versions, like from Windows 10 to Windows 8, without logging into the computer.

Computers in recovery modes also allow users to repair selected programs or files or launch a diagnostic scan to identify errors preventing certain functions. Since Windows is available in different versions, System Recovery Options vary and may include diverse options. Startup computer recovery mode also has a Safe Mode where users can choose how to boot their computer.

Users can run a recovery mode on Windows machines by pressing and holding F2 and pressing ENTER ten times. This results in a backflip, and the computer will enter recovery mode, where the user can choose to restore earlier windows, repair the system or recover lost data if the computer breaks.

You Can Sign in Without A Password

Generally, any computing device’s most common security feature is a strong password with a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. This ensures users and those who know the password are the only ones capable of logging into the system. But if you have a computer that is password-protected, you can sign in as a User. However, this sign-in option limits access to certain privileges and rights, preventing users from accessing more system files and settings.

Signing in as a User requires a user first to create a new account, since the computer already has an existing admin account. It is a great feature if you have different people using the computer at separate times. Each user will have individual accounts, with files designed for each user stored and managed by a single computer. Each account also has particular preferences, settings, and files that other user accounts cannot access.

When users start the computer, all User Accounts will display on the startup screen, and they will go ahead and choose their preferred accounts. If users don’t have the admin account password, they can use the computer to browse, stream content, create files and watch a movie like a standard computer. But still, they are restricted from accessing specific files, only accessed through the primary account.

Interesting Facts About Computers You Didn’t Know

• The password of computers controlling nuclear missiles of the US Army was 0000000000.
• The first mouse was made of wood in 1964.
• Google consumes energy for about 200,000 homes annually.
• Internet users blink an average of 7 times per minute, while the average person blinks 20 times per minute.
• Password, 12345 and 123456 are the most commonly used passwords worldwide.
• Over 5000 new computer viruses are released monthly.
• Bill Gates’ house was designed using a Mac computer, a Macintosh computer.
• More than 90% of the world’s currencies are available on computers.
• The first electronic computer system, ENIAC, weighed over 27 tons and occupied about 1,800 square feet.
• TYPEWRITER is the most far-reaching term that can be typed using keyboard keys found in a single row.
• The first 1 GB hard disk drive weighed about 550 pounds.
• Windows was initially referred to as Interface Manager.
• The 4004 was the first computerized lead microprocessor designed by Intel.

Here are some other fascinating facts about computers:

1. World’s First Computer: The world’s first computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), weighed about 27 tons and took up 1800 square feet of floor space.

2. More Code Than Apollo 11: The code that landed Apollo 11 on the moon in 1969 had less computing power than a modern smartphone. In fact, your smartphone is estimated to be about 100,000 times more powerful than the computer that guided Apollo 11.

3. Mouse’s Inventor: The computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbart in 1964. It was made of wood and had two wheels.

4. E-Waste: Approximately 50 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are generated each year. This includes old and discarded computers.

5. Human Brain vs. Supercomputer: The human brain has about 86 billion neurons, while the world’s most powerful supercomputer, as of ChatGPT3.5’s last training data in September 2021, could simulate about 1% of one human brain.

6. World’s First Computer Programmer: Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician and writer, is considered the world’s first computer programmer. She wrote an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer.

7. The QWERTY Keyboard: The layout of the QWERTY keyboard was designed in 1873 by Christopher Sholes, the inventor of the typewriter, to slow down typing and prevent jamming of early mechanical typewriters.

8. Bit vs. Byte: A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer and can have a value of either 0 or 1. A byte, on the other hand, is a group of 8 bits and is the standard unit for representing a character such as a letter, number, or symbol.

9. First Computer Bug: The term “bug” to describe a problem in a computer program actually originated from a real bug. In 1947, a moth got trapped in the relay of the Harvard Mark II computer, causing a malfunction. The operators removed the insect and taped it into the log book, coining the term “debugging.”

10. Internet’s Weight: It’s estimated that if you could somehow weigh the entire internet (including all the data stored in computers and servers), it would weigh about the same as a strawberry, although this is a highly metaphorical and speculative comparison.

These facts highlight the incredible evolution and impact of computers on our world.

Bottom Line

Computers may seem like any other ordinary computing system, but they carry a lot of information that most people don’t know. Since most people are more focused on technology changes and transformations, a few pay attention to facts about computers. Above are computer facts that get you started with learning more about computers which most people don’t know.

At 365 Technologies, we have a better understanding of computer systems, including hundreds of computer facts most people don’t know. Hence, we can solve any computer or IT problem in your businesses. To learn more about computers or if you need help fixing your computer or solving any IT issue in your enterprise, contact us today!