Impact Of Computers On The Country
Impact of Computers on the Country
Once just a calculator, computers have developed from the large room-filling cabinets into smaller, faster, less expensive machines. The advent of computers has had the most impact on technology in the country. Without computers, the country would be devoid of real time communications, defense systems, diagnosis tools, space travel, air and ground traffic control, modern transportation, and a multitude of other day to day necessities and conveniences. Even with the enormous influence computers have on our daily lives, they still have their limitations and potential shortcomings. Hardware failures, software programming errors, security breaches and other potential mishaps can completely reverse the benefits of the electronic computer.
History of Computers
A computer, at one time, was a person whom computed, or calculated. Now, the term refers to electronic equipment designed to perform calculations and store data. In 1837, Charles Babbage was credited with inventing the first programmable computer. Babbage created a mechanical calculator, mostly on paper, known as the Difference Engine, capable of performing one calculation every six seconds, a sizeable difference from current calculation speeds of billions per second. Babbage’s next venture on paper was the Analytical Engine, designed to run on steam. Had he completed the design, the computer would have been capable of storing memory and codes, using punch cards as the programming medium (Claxton, 2008). “Although [Charles Babbage]'s 'Analytical Engine' was never built, it inspired many engineers to construct ever more powerful data-processing machines. Advances in electrical engineering and, later, electronic engineering, allowed the creation of computing devices whose hard-wired `brains' got smaller while their calculation speeds got faster” (Evans, 2008).
Development
In earlier days, a large and powerful mainframe supported a group of computers, usually for...
View Full Essay
