processors are developing, in January 1997 the fastest processor was 200
mega-hertz (unit for computer speed) for sale at 3399 dollars (Ziff 130).
By January 1998, one could buy a 333 mega-hertz computer for just under 2000
dollars (Ziff 169).
Another component of the computer that is growing with the times is sound
equipment. In the beginning, computers may not have needed speakers. The
only sounds they produced were beeps or some other little sounds for games
like Space Quarks. Now, a person can buy an assortment of speakers for
their home computers with subwoofers to increase the realism of sound
effects. It is even possible to get a jack that connects the computer to a
big home stereo system. It is relatively cheap to enhance a computer’s
sound quality compared to other improvements that are made. One can buy
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speakers and a subwoofer for less than 100 dollars (Ziff 175). Speakers are
not a necessity, but adding them brings a little excitement to what might
otherwise be a boring program. Soundcards combine with speakers to produce
sound. Without a good soundcard, the quality of sound is going to be bad no
matter how high the quality of the speaker may be. The soundcard is to
computer speakers what the receiver is to home speakers. Ten years ago, all
computers had poor soundcards and good ones were not available to consumers.
Today, there is a huge assortment of them on the shelves, most with 3-D
capabilities (Ziff 214).
The Internet, like it or not, is a very powerful business tool. Businesses
have recently discovered the art of finding helpful information for
generating–and exploiting–a competitive advantage. The Internet is an
easier, more cost effective way for businesses to gather insights on what
the public wants, and to make profitable decisions regarding their product
or service. As a marketing agent, the Internet is by far the cheapest
option. The only problem is companies have to make other advertisements to
show where their web address is located. One last good service the Internet
provides is the ability to order products online. This saves businesses
money that they would otherwise be spent producing and shipping catalogues
to thousands of customers (Internet World 48-51).
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Until this decade, computer technology was non-existent in public school
systems. Donna Baumbach tells how today almost every school in the United
States has a computer lab available. Computers are valuable to schools for
many reasons. They are good for studying and research, if the sites are
indeed factual. Computers supply a way to type papers, they can be used for
business classes, and it can provide children with something they may enjoy
using. If students are interested in what they are doing, they will do it
better. Computers also enable classes such as drafting to be consistent
with the procedures used in today’s architectural world. Using programs
like CADD and AutoCADD, drafting classes become much closer to real life
situations than they used to, when drawing on paper was the only way to
train students. Programs such as this are actually used at the job site
(Multimedia Schools 18). Computer programs are also very helpful to
business classes. Accounting classes and computer related fields of study
must have computers to be current with today’s business. As with drafting,
accounting today is all computerized and it is necessary to familiarize
students to the functions of various programs if they are going to go into
one of those fields (Multimedia Schools 20).
In the article “Doctor’s Advice”, Cynthia N. James-Catalano writes of the
newest way to get medical treatment. The Internet is being used by doctors
and nurses
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around the world as a medical advise bulletin board. One can stop by a
medical website without money or an appointment and receive prompt advice
for treating the symptoms of their condition. While these sites cannot take
the place of actual physical examinations, they provide a good second
opinion about one’s illness or injury that
otherwise one would be wasting good money (30-32).
Computers might have done in the last century, more than any other
invention. It seems that the advancements that can be made to improve them
is never-ending. Thus, they are able to help us with many of the tasks that
confront us on a daily basis, and will no doubt continue to become more
useful to us all. The computer may never reach a pinnacle of strength, more
than likely they will continue to improve forever.