Society has reaped many benefits from using computers. Both business and home users can make well-informed decisions because they have instant access to informa¬tion from anywhere in the world. A user is anyone who communicates witn a computer or utilizes the information it generates. Students, another type of user, have more tools to assist them in the learning process. Read Looking Ahead 1-1 for a look at the next generation of benefits from using computers.
ADVANTAGES OP USING COMPUTERS Benefits of computers are possible because computers have the advantages of speed; reliability, consistency, storage, and communications,
•Speed: When data, instructions, and
information flow along electronic circuits
in a computer, they travel at incredibly fast
speeds. Many computers process billions
or trillions of operations in a single second.
Processing involves computing (adding,
subtracting, etc.), sorting (e.g., alphabetizing),
organizing, displaying pictures, recording
audio clips, playing music, and showing a
movie or video. For a technical discussion
about how computers process data, read the
High-Tech Talk article on page 38.
•Reliability: The electronic components in
modern computers are dependable and
reliable because they rarely break or fail.
•Consistency: Given the same input and
processes, a computer will produce the same
results — consistently. A computing phrase —
known as garbage in, garbage out — points out
that the accuracy of a computer's output
depends on the accuracy of the input. For
example, if you do not use the flash on a
digital camera when indoors, the resulting
pictures that are displayed on the computer
screen may be unusable because they are
too dark.
•Storage: A computer can transfer data
quickly from storage to memory, process it,
and then store it again for future use. Many
computers store enormous amounts of data
and make this data available for processing
anytime it is needed.
•Communications: Most computers today can
communicate with other computers, often
wirelessly. Computers with this capability can
share any of the four information processing cycle operations — input, process, output, and storage — with another computer or a user.
DISADVANTAGES OP USING COMPUTERS Some disadvantages of computers relate to the violation of privacy, public safety, the impact on the labor force, health risks, and the impact on the environment.
•Violation of Privacy: Nearly every life event
is stored in a computer somewhere.. .in
medical records/ credit reports, tax records,
etc. In many instances, where personal and
confidential records were not protected
properly, individuals have found their
privacy violated and identities stolen.
•Public Safety: Adults, teens, and children
around the world are using computers to
share publicly their photos, videos, journals,
music, and other personal information. Some
of these unsuspecting, innocent computer
users have fallen victim to crimes committed
by dangerous strangers. Protect yourself and
your dependents from these criminals by
being cautious. For example, do not share
information that would allow others to
identify or locate you. Read Ethics & Issues
1-1 for a related discussion.
•Impact on Labor Force: Although computers
have improved productivity in many ways
and created an entire industry with hundreds
of thousands of new jobs, the skills of millions
of employees have been replaced by com¬
puters. Thus, it is crucial that workers keep
their education up-to-date. A separate impact
on the labor force is that some companies are
outsourcing jobs to foreign countries Instead
of keeping their homeland labor force
employed.
•Health Risks: Prolonged or improper computer
use can lead to injuries or disorders of the
hands, wrists, elbows, eyes, neck, and back.
Computer users can protect themselves from
these health risks through proper workplace
desist, good posture while at the computer,
and appropriately spaced work breaks. Another
health risk, called computer addiction, occurs
when someone becomes obsessed with using
the computer. Once recognized, computer
addiction is a treatable disorder.
•Impact on Environment; Computer
manufacturing processes and computer waste
are depleting natural resources and polluting
the environment. When computers are
discarded in landfills, they release toxic
materials and potentially dangerous levels
of lead, mercury, and flame retardants. Strategies that can help protect the envi¬ronment include recycling, regulating manufacturing processes, extending the life of computers/ and immediately donating replaced computers. When you purchase a new computer, some retailers offer to dispose of your old computer properly.
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