Advances in Computer Technology

In generations gone by there were no computers and no one missed them because they didn't know what it is to have a computer. There were many ways of communication in that era and people were satisfied with the Pony Express, which was the fastest way to send information from coast to coast or even the Camel express which was certainly slower but still the way of life.

But changes were seen in person's life time as they were able to see the transition from Pony and Camel Express to information sent instantly by way of telegraph or people themselves traveling the journeys on transcontinental railroad. This form of communication was integrated into the life of society and the Express systems such as pony or camel were done away with.

Originally calculations were computed by humans which in hindsight we know was a very expensive mode of calculation and similarly correspondence was using one to one with our fingers. Abacus was one of the earliest counting machines.

After the introduction of computer hardware it has undergone significant improvement over this short span. It has triggered worldwide use of technology, performance has improved and the price declined with access to the ever increasing sectors of the world's population. It has become a platform for uses other than computation, such as communication, automation, entertainment and education.

The history of the computer data storage is tied to the development of computers. Computers have changed the perception and expectations and has created its own necessity. It started with the invention of the integrated circuit known as micro chip, which led to the invention of microprocessor.

Today hardware has seen a dramatic change from a 1 MB hard drive to 250 GB of space. Graphics too have seen a great leap for our computers, no longer are we confined to little dots but our 256 mb graphic cards permit us to explore a virtual world in 3D. The sound too has changed from 4 bit to 32bit and very soon to 64bit. The speed of computers have increased from kilobytes to gigabytes of ram.

We will be able to see text to speech and visa versa programs after the 64bit sound card is released allowing the computer to understand our voices more clearly.

With advancement in technology it is difficult to predict or to imagine what tomorrow will be. Changes are taking place constantly and the benefits are tremendous, however changing with the tide will not be easy for all as it would require either self training or being taught on usage of new software.

Of all the advancement in the world, without a doubt computer technology has gone beyond leaps and bounds with more to go. It has become essential to every aspect of daily life.