How the computers managed to rule our lives in all fields of activity

The computer is an electronic data processing machine. It works more or less like the human brain and brings forth results at a marvelous speed. It has ushered in an era of automation. The basic feature of a computer is that it performs logical operation on details fed into it according to instructions given earlier that is, programmed. Numerical calculations are just one item of the many that a computer can do. Computers affect our daily lives in good and bad ways, and it is changing the whole world like nobody ever did before.

The first computer was designed by Prof: Howard Alkens of the USA in 1930. Now the computer has caught everyone’s fancy. The whole world is in the thick of a computer revolution. If analyze our daily lives, most of our work is associated with computer or with its branches. More efficient computers are being designed on the one hand and more applications of the computers are being found out.

The present day fourth generation computers have started performing many fantastic and hard to believe functions. it can be said that there is no field of human activity in which a computer cannot be used. Two nations, Japan and USA are already running a race for computer supremacy. Japan has launched a project to design computers which are 1000 times faster than the present day ones. Huge amount of billions are being spent on research on computers now in the USA. The super computers planned will play a key role in military operations in the future. Super computers and satellites will track enemy missiles and destroy them. How easy defending a country is going to be!

Computers have variety of uses in business. They are the commonly used items in many areas. Computer is an unavoidable thing especially for people who run industries and organizations. They use computer software which helps them calculate bills and taxes. Accounting is ran by computers . there are also computer soft wares for stock market. one can do trading online from office or home if they have computer connection available.

Computers are being used by all major industries in all countries now. State governments too use them. They do the data processing, crime recording and resource planning with computer’s help. Almost every weapon has software included in it. Computers are used to control planes, missiles, and helicopters. Even atomic bombs are controlled by computers. Every office desk and bank counter all over the world has a pocket size calculator, the forerunner of the computer.

Medicine is the other field, where computer features are used widely. Doctors use computer to diagnose disease and find treatments. One of the increasing medical imaging technique, magnetic resonance (MRI) which used visualize detailed internal structure of our body is done using computer soft wares. Even surgeries are now a day done by computers. Patient’s data storing and medication chartings will be in danger if the computers are not working.

Another field where computers are being used widely is the education field. Now a day, most of our home works are done through computers. Students find lots of information using internet. They can browse more information in the computer than in a library. That is because computers can store large amount of information. Students use word processing software to type, and rearrange school assignments. We can take online classes and listen to educational videos in computers. Within forty years computer technology has made stupendous progress. It has revolutionized work methods cutting down time and cost. Except for the feeding in of data and the programming, no human intervention is necessary: so the computer’s conclusions or answers will be perfect. Students seem to have more faith in computerized valuation of their answers. A person waiting for a reservation in a train or plain has no complaint if the reservations are computer processed. Everyone believes that the computer cannot go wrong.

There are so many other fields where computers are unavoidable. Audio and video composition and editing are easier now by computer software. It is no longer costs millions of dollars to make a film. Engineers use computer to create movies. Anybody who owns a computer can make money by making blogs and advertisements online. No one now books air tickets or railway ticket by going to the office. Computers are taking care of that job now. ATM Machine, a commonly used technology where we do money transactions, is working using computers. We get latest news and weather updates from online. If we take a quick analysis, most of our activities are done using computers. They have changed our lives totally. They are used in each and every aspect of our lives.

The computer is very useful and it makes one’s work easy and so on, but over dependence of computers has its harmful effects too. It may dampen the brain power through long disuse. The risk of getting Repetitive Motion injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is higher in children who use computers because their skeletal and musculature systems are not fully formed. School children depend too much on calculations and miss the joy of calculating and arriving at the answers. Another risk of health problem using computers is eye-strain, which leads to dryness in our eyes, headaches, and vision loose. Most heath surveys show that most of the vision problems are caused by computer usage. A study released by National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOH) says that 22% of computer workers are suffering from musculoskeletal disorders such as wrist problems, muscle strains, tendon disorders, and tenosynovitis (e. g. trigger finger). Other health risks include lower back pain and neck pain, which cause by the wrong position of sitting or typing in the computer. Another health problem caused by the computer usage is obesity. There is a clear link between computer use and overweight among adolescents. Lack of physical activities will change body metabolism and they get fat. A study done in 2011 by different health organizations in the US shows that, of the adolescents, 14. 5% are overweight and 2. 7% obese. The prevalence of overweight was higher in boys than in girls in all age groups.

Another fault that shows the disadvantage of computers is that it is affecting our environment too. Many computers are thrown down in to garbage instead of recycling them. In 2007, only 18 percentages of computer products were recycled. Computers are made of very harmful and toxic chemicals; computer monitors contain Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Hexavalent Chromium. They affect our environment very badly. Another argument against the computer is that one day it may begin to control its creator, man himself. There are also other problems such as fraud, privacy and dependence. Chances of fraud increase as people store their personal information on internet. People get diseases such as internet Addiction disorder (IAO) by too much dependence on computer. It is a disorder which requires medical treatments.

Computer is one of the most wonderful achievements of science. It represents an advanced technological marvel of the present age. It has great potentialities as a powerful medium of technology. Most of the job today requires computer knowledge. It helps our lives in so many fields such as national safety, education, medicine, and technology. But the overuse of computers can be dangerous to us. Health problems such as blindness, headaches, muscle pains, and obesity are caused by the over use of computers. If we use computers wisely, it will be a good friend of us, but it can be an enemy if we use it badly.