How important are computers to our society? People often talk in fantastic terms
about computers and their impact on our lives. You probably have heard or read
expressions such as “computers have changed our world" or “computers have
changed the way we do everything” many times. Such statements may strike you
as exaggerations, and sometimes they are. But if you stop and really think about
the effect computers have had on our daily lives, you still may be astonished.
Fig. 1: Computers in Society.
One way to gauge the impact of computers is to consider the impact of other
inventions. Can you imagine, for instance, the many ways in which human life
changed after the introduction of the automobile? (see
Fig. 1)
Consider a few examples:
- Because of the car; people were able to travel farther and cheaper than ever
before, and this created huge opportunities for businesses to meet the needs
of the traveling public.
- Because vehicles could be mass-produced, the nature of manufacturing and
industry changed and throngs of people began working on assembly lines.
- Because of road development, suburbs became a feasible way for people to
live dose to a city without actually living in one.
- Because of car travel, hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers sprang up in
places where there had previously been nothing.
Think of other great inventions and discoveries, such as electricity, the telephone,
or (the airplane). Each, in its own way, brought significant changes to the world,
and to the ways people lived and spent their time. Today, after couple of decades of computer's creation, still its becoming more relevant to the society.
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