Does anyone understand how computers work?

[Nathanial Essex]

We have amazing technology and most of it theoretically makes sense to me. For example, getting a rocket to the moon in theory sounds pretty simple in terms of understanding it. I can make a rocket from a bottle of cola and some Mentos so can understand how someone much more intelligent can make a rocket go to the moon. I can't make an engine but understand how it works and how it gets a car to drive or a plane to fly. I get how drugs work, a light bulb and how we manipulate materials to make thing like leather, certain metals etc.

But I have never understood, or found a video that does a good job in explaining it, how computers work. How do you manipulate a certain amount of raw materials and create software; word processing, video games, etc. You mix iron and carbon you get steel and you can sharpen it to make weapons or just build massive buildings. You melt fine rock you get glass, you grind wheat, get flour, mix with water, cook and you get bread.

How the hell do you make a computer?

 

[Mittens2317]

Read about the Baby (a replica of which is in MOSI in town if you ever come to Manchester), and look into manual transistors. Then you wanna watch a few videos on screens, specifically about the pixels on a screen. Processors, RAM, hard drives, etc. Harnessing electricity, voltages, amps, resistors, and so on, you'll eventually start to get a vague idea.

There's a reason why designers and engineers are highly specialised in a specific area. It's all pretty complex, but by looking into individual parts and how they work as opposed to the whole, it will lead to the kinda understanding you're looking for. Unless of course you're planning on actually making a computer from scratch, in which case you'd just be stupid.