Is a Turing machine a computer?

A Turing machine is not a computer. The Turing machine is an abstract computing model and an abstract machine; it proves the universal computing theory and affirms the possibility of computer implementation. At the same time, it gives the main architecture that a computer should have, but the "Turing machine" is just an illusion. The "computer" does not consider the hardware status at all, and the focus is the logical structure.

#A Turing machine is not a computer.

The so-called Turing machine refers to an abstract machine. It has an infinitely long paper tape. The paper tape is divided into small squares, each square has a different color. There is a machine head that moves around on the paper tape. The machine head has a set of internal states, as well as some fixed procedures. At each moment, the machine head must read a square of information from the current paper tape, then search the program table based on its own internal state, output the information to the paper tape square according to the program, and convert its own internal state, and then Make a move.

In 1936, British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) proposed an abstract computing model-Turing machine. Turing machine, also known as Turing computer, abstracts the process of people using paper and pencil to perform mathematical operations, and replaces humans with mathematical operations by a virtual machine.

The universal Turing machine shows people such a process: the program and its input can be saved on the storage tape first, and the Turing machine runs the program step by step until the result is given, and the result is also saved on the storage tape. More importantly, the main components of modern computers can be vaguely seen, especially the main components of von Neumann's theory.

The difference between Turing machine and computer

The difference between Turing machine and computer: Turing machine proves the universal computing theory and affirms the possibility of computer implementation. At the same time, it gives The main architecture of a computer has been revealed, but the "Turing machine" is just an imaginary "computer" and does not consider the hardware status at all. The focus of consideration is the logical structure, and the computer already exists as an entity.

Computer, commonly known as computer, is a modern high-speed computing electronic computer that can perform numerical calculations, logical calculations and memory functions. It is a modern intelligent electronic device that can automatically process massive data at high speed according to the program operation. A computer that consists of a hardware system and a software system and does not have any software installed is called a bare metal computer. It can be divided into five categories: supercomputers, industrial control computers, network computers, personal computers and embedded computers. More advanced computers include biological computers, photonic computers and quantum computers.

Computer inventor John von Neumann. The computer is one of the most advanced scientific and technological inventions in the 20th century. It has had an extremely important impact on human production and social activities. It is developing rapidly and has strong vitality. Its application fields have expanded from its initial military scientific research applications to various fields of society, and it has formed a huge computer industry, driving global technological progress, and thus triggering profound social changes. Computers have spread throughout ordinary schools, businesses and institutions, entered ordinary people's homes, and become an indispensable tool in the information society.

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