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<p><strong>Computer science</strong>, or <strong>computing science</strong>, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-0">[1]</sup><sup class="reference" id="_ref-1">[2]</sup><sup class="reference" id="_ref-2">[3]</sup> Computer science has many sub-fields; some emphasize the computation of specific results (such as computer graphics), while others relate to properties of computational problems (such as computational complexity theory). Still others focus on the challenges in implementing computations. For example, programming language theory studies approaches to describing computations, while computer programming applies specific programming languages to solve specific computational problems. A further subfield, human-computer interaction, focuses on the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable and universally accessible to people.</p>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">History</span></h2>

<p>The history of computer science predates the invention of the modern digital computer by many centuries. Machines for calculating fixed numerical tasks, such as the abacus, have existed since antiquity. Wilhelm Schickard built the first mechanical calculator in 1623.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-3">[4]</sup> Charles Babbage designed a difference engine in Victorian times (between 1837 and 1901)<sup class="reference" id="_ref-4">[5]</sup> helped by Ada Lovelace.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-5">[6]</sup> Around 1900 the IBM corporation sold punch-card machines.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-6">[7]</sup> However all of these machines were constrained to perform a single task, or at best, some subset of all possible tasks.</p>

<p>During the 1940s, as newer and more powerful computing machines were developed, the term <em>computer</em> came to refer to the machines rather than their human predecessors. As it became clear that computers could be used for more than just mathematical calculations, the field of computer science broadened to study computation in general. Computer science began to be established as a distinct academic discipline in the 1960s, with the creation of the first computer science departments and degree programs.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-Denning_cs_discipline_0">[8]</sup> Since practical computers became available, many applications of computing have become distinct areas of study in their own right.</p>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Major achievements</span></h2>

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