Computers & Their Uses

Some people may not remember a time when computers did not exist.

According to Columbia University, the IBM 610 computer, released in 1957, cost $55,000. Today's computers are significantly cheaper and much more powerful. Computers touch all fabrics of life on earth and in space. The world relies so much on these electronic devices that some people expressed grave fears in 2000 when the Y2K bug arrived. Regardless of their prices or power, computers are essential components in 21st century life.

Gaming

Before personal computers existed, people played games such as Monopoly, checkers and Tic Tac Toe. In the 1950's, the face of gaming began to change. The Brookhaven National Laboratory reports that people stood in line in 1958 to play a game called "Tennis for Two" on a tiny oscilloscope with a miniature screen. Today, complex 3-dimensional, full color graphics drive intense virtual reality gaming experiences on powerful gaming machines. Advances in graphics hardware keep pushing the envelope as chipmakers produce faster and more powerful microprocessors. Gaming fans can also compete against opponents on the other side of the world by connecting to them via the Internet.

Space and Aviation

In 1969, a computer with less computing power than a modern day watch helped land the first men on the moon. Computers are strategic components in virtually all aspects of man and unmanned space flight. Space shuttles contain computers that monitor critical processes such as temperature, velocity and air quality. Computers also play important roles in private and commercial aviation. Pilots use computers to manage everything from cabin pressure to takeoffs and landings. Control towers monitor radar signals and keep planes and passengers safe while in flight.

Writing

Remington, a small arms manufacture, released the first typewriter in 1874. This new invention gave writers the ability to create text on a page without using pen and paper. Compared to modern word processing software, those typewriters were time consuming and unproductive. Typewriters had no auto-correction, spell checkers or automatic word replacement macros. Today's writers have software that lets them outline novels, manage reference material and search for text in documents quickly. Many students also use portable notebook computers to take class notes instead of relying on pen and paper. The Internet makes it possible for students to share notes with others over the Internet.

The Web

Without computers, the Internet, websites, email and chat would not exist. Websites contain Web pages. Web pages consist of files. These files reside on computers called Web servers. Web servers, programmed by software developers, manage these files and transfer them across the Web. Every time Internet users request Web pages, they communicate with computers. Non-browser applications, such as voice chat programs, also rely on computers. Special software converts voice signals into binary data. This data moves across the Internet, and arrives at its destination...another computer. That computer converts the data back into sound allowing two people at distant locations to engage in audio chat sessions.

References

• Brookhaven National Labaratory: Celebrating 'Tennis for Two' With A Video Game Extravaganza
• America.Gov: 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and Today's LCROSS
• University of Houston: Typewriters
• University of Rhode Island: ITS Web Services - Web Glossary
• Columbia University: IBM 610 - The First Personal Computer

Resources

• TIME Techland: Through Computer History With Woz