Nowadays, practically everyone is a computer user, and many people are even computer programmers. Getting computers to do what you want them to do requires intensive hands on experience. But computer science can be seen on a higher level, as a science of problem solving. Many problems in science, engineering, health care, business, and other areas can be solved effectively with computers, but finding a solution requires both computer science expertise and knowledge of the particular application domain. These include computer architecture, software systems, graphics, artifical intelligence, computational science, and software engineering. Drawing from a common core of computer science knowledge, each specialty area focuses on particular challenges. Finally, and most importantly, computer scientists are computer scientists because it is fun.

Not to mention lucrative career opportunities! another definition from computer science: the profession computer science is a discipline that involves the understanding and design of computers and computational processes. In its most general form it is concerned with the understanding of information transfer and transformation. Particular interest is placed on making processes efficient and endowing them with some form of intelligence.

The discipline ranges from theoretical studies of algorithms to practical problems of implementation in terms of computational hardware and software. Thus, the discipline spans both advancing the fundamental understanding of algorithms and information processes in general as well as the practical design of efficient reliable software and hardware to meet given specifications. Computer science is a young discipline that is evolving rapidly from its beginnings in the 1940's. As such it includes theoretical studies, experimental methods, and engineering design all in one discipline. This differs radically from most physical sciences that separate the understanding and advancement of the science from the applications of the science in fields of engineering design and implementation. In computer science there is an inherent intermingling of the theoretical concepts of computability and algorithmic efficiency with the modern practical advancements in electronics that continue to stimulate advances in the discipline.

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It is this close interaction of the theoretical and design aspects of the field that binds them together into a single discipline. Because of the rapid evolution it is difficult to provide a complete list of computer science areas. Yet it is clear that some of the crucial areas are theory, algorithms and data structures, programming methodology and languages, and computer elements and architecture. Other areas include software engineering, artificial intelligence, computer networking and communication, database systems, parallel computation, distributed computation, computer human interaction, computer graphics, operating systems, and numerical and symbolic computation. A professional computer scientist must have a firm foundation in the crucial areas of the field and will most likely have an in depth knowledge in one or more of the other areas of the discipline, depending upon the person's particular area of practice. Thus, a well educated computer scientist should be able to apply the fundamental concepts and techniques of computation, algorithms, and computer design to a specific design problem.

The work includes detailing of specifications, analysis of the problem, and provides a design that functions as desired, has satisfactory performance, is reliable and maintainable, and meets desired cost criteria. Clearly, the computer scientist must not only have sufficient training in the computer science areas to be able to accomplish such tasks, but must also have a firm understanding in areas of mathematics and science, as well as a broad education in liberal studies to provide a basis for understanding the societal implications of the work being performed. From mississippi state university computer science is the study of principles, applications, and technologies of computing and computers. It involves the study of data and data structures and the algorithms to process these structures of principles of computer architecture both hardware and software of problem solving and design methodologies of computer related topics such as numerical analysis, operations research, and artificial intelligence and of language design, structure, and translation technique.

Computer science provides a foundation of knowledge for students with career objectives in a wide range of computing and computer related professions. From the university of missouri rolla computer science is concerned with information in much the same sense that physics is concerned with energy it is devoted to the representation, storage, manipulation and presentation of information. Computer science is concerned with the study of symbol manipulating machines, with communication between man and machine and with the application of these machines.

Operating systems concerned with the development and structure of complex programs which facilitate man machine communications. Computational science the analysis of numerical methods for solving mathematical problems with a computer. Programming languages the study of the design and properties of languages by which humans communicate with computers. Architecture the study and use of mathematical logic to design electronic circuits.

Intelligent systems concerned with means by which computers may perform tasks which might be characterized as intelligent if performed by humans. Information storage and retrieval the study of methods for storing a vast amount of data in a computer and methods for searching and retrieving this data. Software engineering the study of tools and techniques for software design, development, testing and maintenance. Another way to view any science is to look at the methods used within that science. In some sense these methods are similar in many most? sciences, but they can take on different characteristics in each discipline. Four important methods used in the study of computer science are: invention formulation of new algorithmic and new architectural paradigms design software engineering uses design principles to build complex systems to solve computational problems analysis certainly a major focus within computer science is the analysis and evaluation of software, algorithms and architecture. Experimentation use of experiments to reveal computing principles is an important method of scientific investigation within computer science.

27 31, is computer science science? length: 909 words 2.6 double spaced pages the history of women and computing think for a moment, if you will, about your personal computer and the tasks you request that it perform each day. More likely than not your answers include computation, word processing, communication, and research. Lee to label women lady computers 14 ? the point that lee makes in his editorial is that women since the late 1800's have performed computation and secretarial duties for their male superiors and therefore they can be equated with computers 15.

In actuality, many sources concur on that fact that women played a much larger role in the development of computing then they have been given credit for in the history books. There have been many female contributors to the expansion of computing machines and computer science and several of the pioneers of computing technology were female. Ada byron lovelace is one of the few women who get credit for her early work in computing. When translating babbage's lectures, lovelace added her own extensive notes to the material gurer, pioneering women 175. She was able to visualize how the engine could be programmed to complete other tasks, such as playing music, and was the first to envision and understand the potential for a computing machine. Lovelace developed concepts in computing that are still used today, such as a method of storing sequences subroutines of operations or instructions and the department of defense has named their high level programming language in honor of her contributions and pioneering spirit gurer, women 116 117 gurer, pioneering women 175.

The conclusion of the second world war and the commencement of the commercial computing age seem to go hand in hand ceruzzi 13. During this era, a number of american women fell in line with the rosie the riveter stereotype and entered the work force to take the place of the men who were sent overseas to fight in the war. Meanwhile, the university of pennsylvania was beginning the eniac project, working to build a computer that would run ballistic calculations for the army. They recruited a small number of women for this project, since many of the country's men were fighting in the war. Six women collaborated to program the eniac, and since no one had ever programmed a computer before it was up to them to figure out how to accomplish this task gurer, women 117. After world war ii, many of the females remained on the project because they had a greater knowledge of the systems than the men who were returning from the war lee 15. Women during this era were stereotyped as being good programmers because of the need for programmers to be patient, persistent, and detail oriented gurer, pioneering women 176.

The eniac project required both intellectual and physical strength and stamina, but these women were able to achieve their goal they also later went on to do other work in the development of the technology of computers. She wanted to invent a compiler a program for creating programs , and her work in this area eventually led to the development of high level programming languages gurer, women 118. In the summer of 1944, hopper, a former mathematics professor at vassar college, was ordered to assist howard aiken in the military's computation lab ceruzzi 81 82. Hopper's goal was to make programming easier for both the programmers and members of society, and she played a crucial role in transferring the compiler concept to the commercial world gurer, women 118 ceruzzi 85. Grace hopper foresaw a great number of applications in computing, including even artificial intelligence gurer, pioneering women 176. She continued to contribute to the design of military programming languages until her death in 1992 williams 242.

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Another important project in early computing was the univac, or universal automatic computer, a project that was begun in may of 1947 williams 359. Betty holberton, one of the eniac pioneers was responsible for the majority of the software for the univac, used by the u.s. Census bureau, and in 1952 she also invented the sort merge generator, as well as the control console, computer keyboards and numeric keypads for the univac system gurer 117 118. A great number of women were involved in the early days of computer development, and they are often not given the credit they deserve for excelling in a man's profession. In some cases, the early women pioneers have been overshadowed by their husband's accomplishments in the field lee 15 , while society simply looks over others, even though women have made fundamental impact…in the ease of use of computers…women played a large role in making computers more accessible to society as a whole gurer, women 117. The pioneer women were ecstatic to be involved in the evolution of this important scientific field gurer, pioneering women 177 , and women today are finally being recognized for their efforts in the development of computer technology.