Computers Today

Computers are referred in the press, on the radio and television. They appear in films and books and now have invaded all walks of life. It is true that we should not miss the catch up with our environment, economic, social and cultural and so we should permit computerisation at all level. If a developing nation has to invest in this technology, we must have a good set of reasons. Let us try to answer basic questions like (1) What is a computer? (2) What can it do? (3) How can one communicate with it? (4) What are the implications of computerisation over a short as well as a long period time? A computer was created for computing fast-a purely mathematical function. Today they are used to forecast the weather, to operate machines, to cut steel to size and even to guide a space craft to the moon. Computer help to trace criminals, are used in the airlines-the whole world of airlines functions efficiently with its help. Hotels make use of them from managerial capacities to kitchen and companies use them for accounting, invoicing, etc. Thus, a computer is a data processing device which acts upon data coming to it in all shapes and sizes. It deals with the science of information processing, invoicing, recording, manipulating, and retrieving information. Computers are electronic devices, all information stored as patterns of electrical pulses. A computer has to be programmed as per the requirement either to guide a missile or to write poetry. In the years to come, energy efficient technologies will be at a premium;the micro processor as the key machine will lead the industry. It could easily be concluded that in the long run, "Computerisation on a large scale would become essentially a matter of survival." Hence, it is essential to bring an awareness of computers among the common people.