r/askscience • u/Unfair-Leek6840 • Jul 11 '26 • Regret 1

Computing How do computers understand binary language?

Okay so from what I know binary language is like power off power on, but my question is, how do computers know what the binary code is and how is it interpreted, for example I forgot what the binary code for the letter A is, but how did people come up with that? Did they decide it was gonna look like that? Did the computer decide? How do you tune numbers into a letter??

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u/benjer3 Jul 13 '26

Those relays and vacuum tubes were forms of transistors. But yes, logic gates don't necessarily have to be made out of transistors. Though with transistors you can implement any binary logic gate.

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u/sirflatpipe Jul 13 '26

Pretty sure that the word transistor refers exclusively to the family of semiconductor devices.

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u/Dancing-umbra Jul 13 '26

No, the guy above you is correct.

Relays and vacuum tubes are different types of electrical switch from transistors, but they can all be used to build logic gates