Computers - Boon to Human Life

Some people say that the invention of computers is one of the greatest humankind's
inventions. However, other people think that computers make their life more stressful. I
agree with those people who think that computers brought many benefits and play a very
important role in our modern life.

First of all, every company nowadays uses a computer to store its data and make
different kinds of operations. It is very difficult to imagine life without computers. A
company would have to store millions of papers and documents. Moreover, a customer
would have to wait hours to check his balance or get a piece of information about his
transactions at his bank, while an employee was looking through those papers. Another
important aspect of this is that people are able to type all their information, make
corrections, print or send documents using computers. It makes life much easier. One can
spend the rest of the time watching TV with his family or working on something new.

We use computers every day sometimes even not knowing it. When we go to a store
and use our credit cards many computers process our information and perform
transactions. When we need to get some cash we use money access machines that are
computerized. Computers have been around for many years and it has become difficult
to imagine life without them. They are present almost everywhere we go - at the
supermarket, at the bank, at home, in the car. Computers are more efficient than we
humans are, at least when it comes to calculations and related topics - as the name
computer implies (to compute - to calculate). The question is, however - could we do
without computers? Are computers really necessary, or do we just use them because they
are here, out of habit so to speak and in reality, they are more a curse than a blessing?
One really big factor which makes computers irreplacable for many people is: you have
access to the internet. In the internet, you can find almost anything you want, be it
information, pictures or videos. Sure, in the "real life", as internet-users call it, you can
lend books from the nearest library and get your information from there. However, this
information might not be valid anymore, or you want just one small bit of information.
You just could not search for it in a 200-pages book (it would take too long), whereas you
can search for it in the whole internet with the help of a search engine - taking you less
than a second.
You do not have to watch the news on TV thanks to the Internet. You can watch the
news on your computer whenever you want, and with your laptop and an open hot spot (a
place where you can access the internet through w-lan) even wherever you want! This is
a clear advantage for people working very late or very early - they can get the
information they want, be up-to-date and are not dependent on newspapers or the
television.

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 Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other
people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. In the 1980s,
computers began to take up new roles in various forms. A simple computer could be a
cash machine in a supermarket, which does not look like a traditional one. In the past two
decades, the price of components used for computers steadily fell due to higher
technological advancement, reduced cost of manufacturing, stiffer competition, entrance
of more manufacturers, new usage that simplified many processes, greater market
demand and inevitability to higher productivity. And the trend of the usage of computer
is changing rapidly, from governmental to civilian. Till now, the beginning of the 21st
century, computers are becoming more powerful and functional and much closer to our
daily life. The aim of this report is to find out the relationship between people's life and
computer and the role of computer in the modern century, as well as determining the
Computer's popularity, functions and the our groups opinions .

Second of all, computers provided a great means of communication - the Internet. I

think it is the easiest and cheapest way to get in touch with relatives, friends, business
colleagues, etc. Nowadays the world becomes smaller and smaller. When I was a little
boy, I could not imagine that it would be possible to communicate with people from all
around the world in so easy way. A person can get latest news, become friends with
someone from another country, find his old friends, ask for a piece of advice, etc.

One of the least important aspects of computers is that it provides entertainment and
yet this is the sole reason why many people buy computers. The gaming and
entertainment industry has become extremely large in the world, the products they sell
range from shareware games to adult blood and gore. For instance, the 3D-shooter series,
Quake, has sold millions of copies and essentially everyone in the world has seen it or
played it. The entertainment industry not only provides gaming amusement but it also
contributes learning programs, for children and adults, to help individuals excel in a
certain trouble areas. Furthermore, computers also are also capable of training military
personal in a virtual reality environment. An example of this is the U.S. and Canadian
military, they both train soldiers and pilots in the ways of war using high tech computers
and virtual reality equipment.

The development of widespread computer technology has changed many of our daily
practices. Borgmann describes the evolution of writing equipment. The fountain pen
encouraged us to write to someone to whom the quality of our handwriting mattered,
carefully composing our thoughts on serious personal matters. The typewriter was better
suited for the rapid recording of business matters or factual reports. Now, a word
processor encourages us to constantly revise, so a work becomes a series of drafts, none
of which is final. And when the computer is connected to the internet the drafts can be
circulated to many people for input, so that authorship becomes diffuse. So devices are
not neutral, they affect the possibilities available to us.

As the nature of writing changed from fountain pen, to typewritten, to word processor,
so has changed interpersonal communications from letters, to telephone, to e-mail and
instant messaging. So has the nature of work changed from crafts, to factory production,

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to the new information economy. Our relationship to information has changed from the
library model of careful selection, classification, and permanent collections to the
information retrieval model of access to everything, diversification, and dynamic
collections. All of these changes are disruptive, they foreclose old practices and provide
new opportunities. Some people are always hurt by these shifts, while others find unseen
chances to thrive.

The new technologies have brought new opportunities to affect social change. In the
manner of Foucault's philosophy we have the chance to redistribute the power within
society. E-mail was used by students during the Russian coup; by relaying messages
through an intermediary in the U.S. the students were able to respond to changes faster
than the Army. Desktop publishing and the World Wide Web offer the possibility for
marginalized voices to reach a wide audience. Basic HTML code is easy to learn and use,
and web authoring tools make the process even easier. So anyone can post information to
the web with a small amount of effort. Such self broadcasting was not practical with
television, where larger amounts of investment and knowledge are necessary. Of course,
it is up to us to avail ourselves of these opportunities. The entrenched power structures
are also trying to control as much of the new media as possible to maintain their positions
of power. The issue has not been decided yet, but the internet is not as free as it was just a
fwe years ago.

Computer technology can assist us in pursuit of Borgmann's focal activities, despite

Borgmann's reservations. If writing is a focal activity for us, word processors can make
the job easier even though we have seen that they alter the process. Maintaining contact
with friends is facilitated by e-mail. Even if it predisposes us to short note rather than
long heartfelt letters, e-mail is useful for organizing face-to-face meetings. Cooking,
Borgmann's exemplary focal activity, can be aided by accessing new recipes online. And
all sorts of activities have online interest groups where people around the world can meet
to discuss their common passions. Some activities were solitary activities, pursued by
lone individuals as their individual means of artistic expression, until the internet allowed
them to realize that others shared their interest.

Computers have made life easier for the human race. Americans today take for granted
the great impact the computer has on their lives, making things easier, faster, and more
convenient for them. Computers helped the world a lot and helped us take a large step
into the future. Almost anything you know is run or made by computers, industry, cars,
jets, and ect. Computers are the most important innovations in history, without
computers the world would not be able to function in the manner today that people are
accustom to.
Before there were electronic computers most of the tasks we now do with a computer
were done other ways. Computers today have replaced many of the roles that people had
once done manually. This is both a positive and a negative, people are losing the jobs
they once fulfilled and being replaced by this intelligent machine. It is also creating new
opportunities for technology in the workplace and creating new types of jobs involving
the computer. "People were once necessary to make written entries, keep accounts,
make copies of documents, and do mechanical work". Instead of a hard drive on the

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computer, brains were used to store and manipulate information. The major position that
humans were replaced in as computers erupted was clerical work or a clerk.
Many of the tasks performed today require the use of computers, but there was actually a
time when they were not necessary. Years ago there was no such thing as a word
processor, letters, and reports were all handwritten or produced on a typewriter. When
people needed to find information on something, there was no internet to search, but yet a
library filled with books for them to peruse. Communication was also quite different,
use of the telephone or what is now referred to as "snail" mail, when sending letters
through the mail.

Computers play an important role in this modern society. All people around the world
are forced the "computer age" nowadays. Since the first computer was made in the late
1950s, which I heard that was came from the Chinese Abacus, the technology has
developed extremely. Computers are everywhere and control a great deal of our living
environment. More and more areas are being taken over by the computer. Not able to
use a computer is a serious handicap with ramifications in all areas of life. Therefore, if
people do not know computers or do not know how to use them it means that they are not
prepared for the future. They will fall behind our advancing society. Computers have
been applied to industry, agriculture, political affairs, economy, military, science and
many other fields; it is becoming more and more important. It is reason why I feel; I
need to know more about computers such as why computer is useful, history of computer,
and Internet.
Nowadays, no matter what the professions, a mainstay of the companies prefers to hire
employees who basically need to know how to operate computers. "Knowledge of
computers" has become a basic requirement in job descriptions. As computers are
capable of handling large amounts of data in a very short time, they are well suited for
word processing. For instance, medical officers use computer to record patients' data for
finding them easier and more
conveniently. Banks also use computers to store information for consumers to know
their account conveniently and orderly, etc. The government agencies are the one who
use computers most because they need to record confidential data, for instance, the
military, and the U.S Census Bureau, etc. The business also use computer password
system in the companies that to avoid other companies' stealing their business secrets

Often the overwhelming experience when dealing with computer technology is one of
frustration. Computer interfaces are often confusing and arbitrary. Simple, routine tasks
take great effort to do. Programs crash causing the loss of laboriously produced work.
Incompatible versions will not read old data. And rapidly advancing technology leaves
our equipment outdated in a short time, leading to feelings of inadequacy as the
manufacturers try to convince us we need the latest models. Any benefits to our practices
can be lost through frustration over difficulty using the technology to accomplish the
tasks. The computer becomes the focus of our attention rather than the focal practice we
my be trying to pursue through it.

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 The creators of computer technology can lessen the disruptive force of the technology
by practicing good design. Well designed computer systems should be useful, usable,
easily learned, and perform functions that let people do the things they want to do.

Good design can lessen the frustration user feel when they use computers. The sum of
all the small frustrations with everyday life add up to the feelings of powerlessness and
despair felt by many in the modern world. Alleviating those frustrations leads to an
improved quality of life. By making the system easier to use and more reliable users can
get on with the tasks they wish to accomplish rather than worrying about the computer.
When systems help users realize their goals and intentions they promote the human value
of autonomy.

Systems that are easy to learn reduce the disruption caused by new technologies.
Technological society may force new methods and practices upon us, but if they are
easier to learn, then at least the people adept at the old practices can learn to operate in
the new manner. While the philosophical issues remain, the impact of new technology on
individuals can be softened. Technology can be made easier to learn by making the
choices of acts you can perform obvious and by providing appropriate mental maps of the
operation to the user. Computer technology, by virtue of its interface being flexible, could
be made very easy to learn. But, alas, most systems are not designed to realize this
possibility.

Good designs make possible the benefits of computer technology. Use of a computer as
an instrument in pursuit of a focal practice is only possible if the computer does not
crowd ones focus of attention. The computer interface should fade into the background so
that we may concentrate on our human affirming activities. If the difficulties experienced
mount, then any benefit is canceled out by the trouble with the instrument. In such a case
it would be better to do without the new technology. In order for technology to fade from
our focus while we use it to perform a task, it should operate reliably and consistently so
that after a brief learning period we can form habits of use and then use the technology
without thought. Computers, once again by virtue of their flexible structure, could be
designed to operate consistently and appropriately, more so than material technology
which must obey mechanical constraints, but, once again, it often is not so designed.

Since the first computer was made in the late fifties, the technology has developed
extremely. Computers which took the place of a living-room then, are now being made in
creditcard-formats. More and more areas are being taken over by the computer.As
computers are capable of handling large amounts of data in a very short time, they are
well suited for wordprocessing. I guess that it won't be long till all the paper-archives are
replaced by magnetic tapes and diskettes. A diskette can contain much more data than a
written page, and it takes less place It is possible to get the Norwegian telephone book on
just one diskette.In near future, a new area will be taken over by computers, namely
maps. Different routes are stored on one single compact-disk. Imagine, simply insert the
CD into the CD-driver in your car, and tell the computer where to go. The rest will be
done automatically. This will be a safer, faster, and more comfortable way to
travel.Another new area, called "virtual reality" is currently being tested. This is a way to

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simulate reality on a monitor. In order to feel this so-called reality you have to wear
special electronic glasses and an electronic suit. Fastened to the suit are sensors, which
send information to the main computer. This computer works with the data and displays
them on the electronic spectacles. This is a technique which use three-dimentional views,
therefore the scenery seems incredibly realistic. If you want to be a boxer, simply change
the scenery on the main computer, and you are in the ring.Today, many kids have got
video games. You could say these games are the present's answer to ludo and monopoly.
In a way, it is a great advantage that the kids are being presented to computors at an early
age, because they will definitely have to use them later, when they start to work. In the
future there will be few occupations which won't use computors, one way or another.

A computer is, "a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve and process
data". This tool once predominately used in homes and offices is making its way into our
educational system. Computer technology is a growing part of our society today. The
increase of computer technology usage in schools has enhanced student learning.
Therefore, it can be seen that there are many effects of computer technology in schools.
Computer technology allows greater collaboration with peers when students are seen
looking over each other's shoulders, commenting on each other's work, offering
assistance, and discussing what they are doing. Computer technology-based tasks involve
many subtasks for example, creating a button for a HyperCard stacks or making columns
with word processing software that leads to situations where students need help and find
that their neighbor is a convenient source of assistance. Also students who have mastered
specific computer skills generally derive pride and enjoyment from helping others. In
addition, the public display and greater legibility of student work creates an invitation to
comment. Students' ability to collaborate on substantive content can be further enhanced
through the use of software applications specifically designed for this purpose.
Computer technology develops technical skills. With technical skills students are able to
attain an impressive level of dexterity with a broad range of computer software. Although
the specific software tools in use will likely change before these students enter the world
of work, the students achieve a basic understanding of how various classes of computer
tools behave and a confidence about being able to learn to use new tools that will support
their learning of new software applications. For example being able to use Hyper Studio
to create multimedia reports that include text but also digitized photographs and sounds
as well as artwork.

Children of the twenty first century are spending an increasing amount of time on
computers playing games. In fact research shows that as much as 92% of children
between 4 and 17 years of age play video games on the computer .Most of these
computer games are violent. These violent computer games cause physical and mental
problems in children.
Computer games that are played excessively can damage a person’s health. They can
cause epilepsy, damage to a child’s posture, and damage to joints, skin irritation and sight
deterioration. Flashing of lights and the radiant energy of the images from the screen
can trigger seizures .Seizures can lead an individual to develop epilepsy. Epilepsy
causes a kind of electrical storm in the brain. The most common type of epilepsy is
called grand mal.It causes a sudden loss of consciousness and wild jerking of arms, legs

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and other parts of the body. Another adverse effect of playing computer games is
crooked posture. Crooked posture is one of the most common medical problems
connected to playing video games. In fact there is a huge number of children in junior
high and high schools that have a crooked posture as a result of playing computer games.
Having a crooked posture can lead to permanent spinal damage. Damage to joints or
tendonitis is just another factor that comes with playing computer games excessively.
The constant repetition of the same movements to hands induces damage to joints and
skin irritation. Another effect of playing computer games is deterioration of eyesight.
Hours staring at the screen, which displays rapidly flashing pictures, can impair sight.
Some other physical problems caused by computer games are lack of exercise and
psychomotor disorders .With lack of exercise, the buildup of fat increases causing a
person to become obese.

Finally, in addition to these practical benefits people can shopping without leaving their
house. They just use an Internet access, a computer and their cards to make a payment. It
is kind of difficult to imagine that a few years ago people had to spend their time in lines
buying tickets. Now, a person can choose a destination, company, date and time and get
tickets delivered to his door. I think it is amazing.

To sum up, I believe that computers made our lives easier. They change our attitude
towards life. I think with the invention of computers people became closer and friendlier.