Top: Computers

A computer is an electronic device that accepts and processes information mathematically or logically according to programmed instructions. The results of this processing is displayed visually, printed on paper, played audibly, kept in electronic form for transfer to other computers, or used to control some other device or process.

Modern computers have become a universal tool, used in most occupations. The Internet itself, including the ODP, this Internet directory, is written on computers, stored on computers, presented by computers, and usually viewed on computers. By that standard every ODP listed site could be listed under this category. But instead, this category contains listings of sites primarily about the use of Computers other than for a purpose fitting one of the other Open Directory top level categories. Sites about artistic use of computers belong in Arts, about scientific use of computers in Science, etc.

The ODP Computers category contains sites that are about:

• computers in themselves in general, such as Computer History or Ethics or ;
• specific individual parts and areas of all or most computers, such as Hardware or Software, not primarily used for or by a single ODP top level category field;
• the use of computers for purposes spanning multiple ODP top level category fields, such as Graphics, when the graphics could be scientific or artistic or business oriented, or for databases or the Internet in general, which store or carry all sorts of information, for whatever purpose;
• fields that are only conceptually possible through the use of computer concepts, such as Artificial Intelligence or Artificial Life.

It is important not to confuse the topic with the tool or medium. Sites devoted to a subject that happens to use computers as tools or a medium should still be listed under the subject. For example, sites devoted to music, even in electronic formats, have a home in Arts/Music/. However, the tools and formats for audio reproduction may also be used for speeches or lectures that are not Arts related, so sites devoted to these generic computer audio tools, data formats, theories, and algorithms that may be used for several purposes should be listed in the appropriate Computers subcategory.

Algorithms

A prescribed finite set of well defined rules or processes for the solutions of a problem in a finite number of steps.

Explained in simple English, it is the mathematical formula for an operation, such as computing the check digits on packets of data that travel via packet switched networks.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is a field of science that has several goals. The first, often called "weak" AI, is the effort to design and implement computer systems that can perform tasks requiring intelligence when performed by humans. AI in computer games, knowledge based systems and such are typical examples of this branch.

The second, less tangible branch, often called "strong" AI, is the research that ultimatly aims to build artificial systems that display real intelligence. It does this by trying to understand or model the nature of human intelligence.

Both branches are multidisciplinary, in that they have close relations with the fields of computer science, philosophy, medicine, psychology, biology and linguistics.

Artificial Life

This category is for artificial life information, simulations, discussions and related sub topics like art and games.

Bulletin Board Systems

Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) have been around since the early 1980s in one form or another. Typically a 'gathering area' for people with similar interests, they have adapted, grown, and survived as times changed. BBS systems, while not as popular as they once were, have begun seeing a new dawning in recent times.

They usually have a large variety of Spam free topical message areas. Online Gaming. Most have new and daily updated shareware files.

Most have moved to the Internet and offer web based interaction. No need to utilize the old ANSI login style. Although Ansi logins are still widely available.

With over 15,000 traditional BBS's remaining in the United States alone they are a pleasant alternative to the normal web based browsing.

CAD and CAM

Computer Aided Design

Computer software and (sometimes) hardware used to design things. A CAD system might be as simple as a computerized drafting tool or as complex as a parametric mechanical constraint system, a routing and layout software for integrated electronic circuits, or an architectural program that knows about the physical and spatial properties of constructive elements in a building.

Companies

This category provides a list of categories for navigational purposes to facilitate finding companies offering various computer services.

Computer Science

Computer science is the scientific discipline which aims to develop and advance knowledge related to computers and computation.

Consultants

A computer consultant is any person, presumably an expert, upon whom other people rely for information and advice about computer-related products and/or services. However, most self-styled computer consultants simply provide general information and advice in conjunction with the portfolio of computer-related products and services which they sell.

With the exception of those computer consultants who specialize in a particular type of hardware, software, or system, the easiest way to distinguish between computers consultants is by geographical location. Accordingly, most computer consultants will be found listed under an appropriate Computers: Consultants: Regional subcategory; if no geographical location or area of special expertise can be determined, computer consultants will be found listed under Computers: Consultants: General and Freelance. However, some computer consultants will be listed under the main category of Computers: Consultants because they have a special service that does not fit into one of the various subcategories. This is a judgment call made by the ODP editors who for some reason believe that these listings deserve to be highlighted in the main category.

If you are submitting a URL to this directory, please keep in mind that all submissions must be reviewed by volunteer editors of the Open Directory Project (ODP). Thus, multiple submissions of the same site to inappropriate categories will not improve your chances for being listed in this directory and may result in your site being blacklisted from ODP. This may also happen if you submit your site to a number of directories which use ODP data, but forward new submissions to ODP. Please take a moment to review the ODP Editorial Guidelines, and carefully choose the ODP categories to which you submit your site.

Data Communications

The transfer of data between points. This includes all manual and machine operations necessary for this transfer. In short, the movement of encoded information by means of transmission systems.

Data Formats

A set of specifications that defines the way different types of data should be stored in computer systems for use by applications or the end user.

This category is mainly for technical specifications of data formats. Although it tries to also be helpful and help you find relevant software for and examples of these data formats.

Desktop Publishing

The use of computers to lay out text and graphics for printing in magazines, newsletters, brochures, etc.

Sites about desktop publishing only. This includes tutorials, groups and other resources for desktop publishers.

Please list desktop publishing and printing businesses in the Business/Publishing_and_Printing/ category. Graphic Design businesses are listed in Arts/Graphic Design.

E-Books

Sites with information about electronic books, including e-book guides, news reports on e-book business and technology, and pages about electronic book readers. Also includes gateways to the related ODP categories for e-book titles, stores, and publishers.

Electronic books are a communications medium, just like regular books, or CD-ROMS, are communications mediums. Types of electronic books include: electronic texts, or e-texts; and electronic reading devices.

Education

All aspects of Learning and Teaching about and with Computers including Tutorials, HOWTOs, teaching software. Company sites providing training in computers, software, etc. should be submitted to the Commercial Services sub-category. All foreign language sites belong in the appropriate World/ category.

Emulators

Emulation is the process of simulating the hardware of one computer (particularly the processor) via software on a different one. In other words, it allows you to use software meant for another system that you may not have access to by running a program on your system. For instance, an emulator will let you use an arcade machine that no longer exist or use a game console that can no longer be purchased.

Note that this category is different from Games: Video Games: Emulation because the focus here is on the emulation of personal computer systems and Operating Systems running on these.

Ethics

No category description found

Hacking

Hacking is about gaining more knowledge through the use of computers.

This category contains links to sites about hacking, cracking, anarchy, credit card fraud and the like. It also lists information about exploits and the hacker culture.

It does not list links to sites that are offering passwords, or anything else which is illegal in the U.S.

Hardware

This area is for anything related to computer hardware including technical support sites, product reviews, and home built/kit hardware and just about anything else you can think of related to the physical world of computers.

Home Automation

The field of Home Automation is expanding rapidly as electronic technologies converge. The home network encompasses communications, entertainment, security, convenience and information systems.

This category holds sites of broad scope on the topic.

Human-Computer Interaction

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) covers a wide range of topics such as human characteristics, activities and behavior, the design of objects, relevant to the implementation of interactive computer systems and aimed to optimization of the relationship between technology and human.

Internet

This is not a category in which to be included. If you have a site which has to do with the internet, please look below this category for the appropriate one.

Submission Guidelines - The Open Directory Project editors are committed to building the most useful Directory on the Internet. We want to help your promotion efforts by listing your site in a timely manner. We want your website to be found easily. By choosing the most appropriate category, you assist us in both these efforts.

Sites which are incomplete, having Under Construction notices, or which contain broken graphics or links have a poor chance of being listed. Please wait to submit your web site until it is complete. Please double-check the URL, and, if possible, include an e-mail address so we may contact you if we have questions.

Intranet

A private network that uses Internet software and Internet standards. In essence, an Intranet is a private Internet reserved for use by people who have been given the authority and passwords necessary to use that network.

For Intranet software (such as ready-built HTTP servers)look in the Software subcategory.

For Consultants and Business building Intranets, look in the 'Consultants and developers' subcategory.

Important notice Submissions are no longer being accepted directly into Computers:Intranet. Please find a more relevant subcategory for your submission.

Multimedia

This category is for very general sites covering the topic of multimedia.

Multimedia is defined as: "Human-computer interaction involving text, graphics, voice and video. Often also includes concepts from hypertext. This term has come to be almost synonymous with CD-ROM in the personal computer world because the large amounts of data involved are currently best supplied on CD-ROM."

Open Source

This category is for information about Open Source -- the movement, the philosophy, the people, and of course, to some extent, the products. (Probably most of the actual software packages will be in Computers/Software somewhere, but there should be cross links where appropriate.)

Official definition of open source

Organizations

A listing of Organizations in the Computer field that are divided into the categories of what the organizations provide.

Parallel Computing

Parallel computing is the art of programming computers that have more than one processor. Some parallel computers are just regular workstations that have more than one processor in them; others are giant single computers with many processors (these are generally referred to as supercomputers); and others are networks of individual computers. A network of computers configured to coordinate on computing problems is also called a cluster. A parallel computer may be able to run programs much faster than a traditional single computer.

Programs that work on a single-processor computer don't automatically work on a parallel computer. The programmer must explicitly specify how to divide up the computing work between all of the available nodes. Information about writing programs especially for parallel computers is in Parallel_Computing/Programming. Many people have written libraries to help programmers write applications for parallel computers.

Parallel computing is a very similar field to distributed computing. Both types of computing involve breaking apart a problem into many pieces and assigning each part to a computer, but the nodes of a distributed computer normally not communicate with each other while performing their computations, because they may be great distances apart. Sites related to distributed computing are in Computers/Computer_Science/Distributed_Computing.

Information about supercomputers is located in Computers/Supercomputing.

Performance and Capacity

Few years ago Performance and Capacity was mainly a mainframe related job performed by MVS gurus. It entered the UNIX servers world around 1991 - 1992 time frame. It become very visible with the emergence of the WEB related applications servers. While in the MVS world was to expensive to waste system resources, in the WEB world is to expensive not having enough resources to sustain a competitive response time. The field of Performance and Capacity is a cross bred between system Operating Systems and Application analysis and programming on one side and mathematical statistics on the other side.

Programming

Computer programming is the art of writing software, instructions for computers to follow. At the base level, as understood by the computer, these instructions are written in machine code, or binary, pure numbers, quite difficult for humans to read and write. At a slightly higher level, these codes correspond to assembly language, short mnemonics for individual computer operations, that still correspond one to one with what the machine actually does. This is still unstructured, terse, and difficult to read or write in. Most programming is done in higher level, compiled languages, or even interpretedthat look like a cross between English and Algebra, and allow various abstractions depending on the language, such as encapsulation, function calls, data hiding, and more, to enable people reading and writing programs to deal with the vast quantity of information that the computer actually handles. Respectively, a compiler program translates these languages to machine code to be executed directly, or a separate interpreter program itself takes these statements and executes them as an intermediary.

Robotics

Robotics from A to Z, everything to do with robotics, technology of robotics.

Security

A way of insuring data on a LAN is protected from unauthorized use. Network security measures can be softwarebased, where passwords restrict users' access to certain data files or directories. This kind of security is usually implemented by the network operating system. Security can also be hardware-based, using the more traditional lock and key.

Shopping

Resources and links to categories related to the process of shopping for computers. Also, unique gifts for computer users.

The Computer: Shopping: Gifts category is for sites that have accessories/gifts for the computer or computer user. NOT EQUIPMENT, PERIPHERALS, SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE. Items that may fit into this category may be, for example, mouse pads, computer covers, tee-shirts, and novelty gifts for computer gurus and users.

NO submissions will be accepted to the Top: Computers: Shopping main index.

Please read the category FAQ for pointers on where to submit these sites.

It is our goal to collect the very best "how to" shop for computers information sites and list them here. We are not trying to build a complete list-that is best done by automatic search engines rather than by humans.

Check out the category FAQ for information on where to submit new sites.

Software

The Computers/Software category is described more thoroughly in the category FAQ.

In order to handle the large number of sites that are added to the Software category every day, the editors of this category ask that you please choose an appropriate subcategory for your link. If you do not feel that any of the existing categories are appropriate, please feel free to contact an editor.

Please do not submit a link more than once. If your link does not appear in a few days, please be patient. A link does not usually belong in more than one category, or a few at most. Submissions to numerous inappropriate categories will be considered spam, and will cause the link to be deleted from the directory.

Please note that the Software category receives many submissions that are more appropriate to other categories. If you or your organization develop Web sites as your primary service, you should submit your link to a subcategory of Computers/Internet/Commercial_Services Thank you,
The ODP Computers/Software Team

Speech Technology

This category tracks significant software/hardware advances, companies and sites in the area of speech processing, recognition and voice control for computers. Technically "voice recognition" to the industry means speaker verification and identification, i.e., who is speaking - is it Alex or Jane. Speech recognition is the identification of content - what did Alex say. This category does not, therefore, take "speech recognition" to be synonymous with "voice recognition."

Supercomputing

A supercomputer is, generally, a really big and fast computer. The standard of what exactly constitutes a supercomputer has evolved with the capabilities of the computing industry. Supercomputers contain many processors and often take up entire rooms. They can do anything a normal computer can do, but usually much, much faster.

This category contains information about supercomputers, including (but not limited to) companies that manufacture supercomputers, supercomputing facilities, news articles about supercomputers, and supercomputing conferences.

Information about writing programs to run on supercomputers is in Computers/Parallel_Computing.

Systems

A collection of computer hardware and operating systems components designed to work together. Often referred to as a "platform". Examples of common Computer Systems include the Intel PC, Macintosh, NeXT, Sun workstation, IBM AS/300, and HP 9000.

Usenet

Usenet, or Netnews, is a world-wide distributed discussion system. Traditional access to newsgroups, or discussion fora, requires newsreader software and access to a newsserver. Many ISPs provide access to a newsserver as part of their service package.

This category provides general information about Usenet.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) and emersive virtual environments.

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