Week 2: Clear

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Computers

For most of us, computers have become an essential tool that we involve in our everyday lives. Whether it be at work, school, home, or pretty much anywhere in the public domain, we experience the pros and cons of computer use in the context of ourselves as individuals. But what about the broader spectrum of the good and the bad as it has effected society as a whole?

Advantages of Using Computers:

1. Speed

• Many computers process billions or trillions of operations in a single second, allowing users to quickly enter, retrieve, edit, save and store information at the click of a button. For example, think about how long it would take for you to calculate 9,453,362 x 8,736,110 in your head or on paper. When using a computer, it only takes as long as it takes you to type the numbers in.

2. Reliability

• Science has come a long way in terms of making these machines dependable and reliable. They rarely break or fail which means a far less chance of error compared to that of human error. This is a crucial benefit of a computer because, for example, a large company in the business world simple can't afford a miscalculation of numbers or sales, or a misplaced file.

3. Consistency

• Given the same input and processes, a modern computer will produce the same, consistent results time after time. The accuracy of a computer's output depends on the accuracy of the input. Computers are very complex. It is important that they remain consistent across the board so that we can learn how to use them and continually use them properly and with the results we want.

4. Storage

• Computers have the ability to transfer data quickly from storage to memory, process it, and then store it again for future use. The huge amounts of data they are capable of immediately storing and retrieving are mind-boggling. Plus, they beat the heck out of file cabinets.

5. Communications

• The most recent development of the computer's advantages allows them to communicate with each other and share any of the four information processing cycle operations (input, process, output and storage) with another computer or user. The limits of this benefit seem endless; instant communication with friends via e-mail, search on the Web, sharing files with clients, and the list goes on.
• The computer's ability to communicate with other computers has brought us to where we are today in this technological world of sharing and interacting with information on the Internet, a concept broadly known as "Web 2.0". Web 2.0 is the new way that we, as users, literally create, interact with collaborate and are, overall, highly involved in Web content.
• This video provides an interesting look at Web 2.0 and the questions it proposes in terms of usage, ownership, and the spread of information. Each one of the advantages of computer use has aided in the birth of Web 2.0.

Disadvantages of Using Computers:

1. Violation of Privacy

• Tons of user information is entered into computers everyday-and not just personal computers. Credit card companies, health care facilities, banks, you name it, can all obtain and save information about you. Identity theft and theft of personal information or records are just some of the pitfalls of recording information electronically. Be careful which Web sites you trust with personal information like your address or forms of payment. Password-protect your computer as a general precaution.

2. Public Safety

• Sharing information on the Internet can be as dangerous as it is fun and helpful. Keep in mind that when you use sites like Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, it's not just your friends that can access your profiles, posts, photos, statuses and videos. The Web is filled with strangers. Check out the FBI's online social-networking tips to make sure you protect yourself and your business from harmful situations.

3. Impact on Labor Force

• While improving productivity in more ways than imaginable, creating lots of jobs and entirely new industries, the skills of millions of employees have been replaced by computers. Outsourcing has been made possible by computers, thus creating a more efficient work environment for the business world, but leaving tons of Americans jobless. Education is important in this ever-evolving, scientific world we live in, and above all, if you have a great educational foundation, you'll be more likely to produce work that cannot be replaced with a machine.

4. Health Risks

• People are spending more and more time on their computers now more than ever. We can even take our computers with us, leaving users with virtually every opportunity to use them. Physical injuries can occur from overuse of the computer, and mental disorders, like computer addiction, can occur.

5. Impact on Environment

• "Going Green" is an ongoing trend amongst American society today. Computer manufacturing processes and computer waste are depleting natural resources and polluting the environment. They release toxic materials when put into landfills and contain high levels of harmful chemicals. Companies are rapidly encouraging recycling of computers and computer parts, and some are even offering to dispose of your old computer (properly) when you buy a new one from them.

Here are two graphs that represent some other types of advantages and disadvantages users worry about found on the Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting site:

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

The advantages and disadvantages of computer use are extremely important and have shaped the way we use and interact with computers in the business world. To be a productive computer-user, you must know the limits of your machine and be aware of what it can and cannot provide. Armed with this knowledge, users can go on to use computers efficiently, safely and properly in business and in personal life.