The computer we are going to talk about here is not the one that merely compute; that is to add, subtract, divide and multiply. The computer we are referring to here is an electronic device that store, interpret and process data. A computer needs a program which is compose of a set of instructions that needed to be processed in the computer's central processing unit or CPU. The CPU is the brain of computer as it digests, interprets arithmetical and logical operations and retains information in its memory. The memory is the primary storage unit of the computer. The hardware refers to the physical components of the computer system like the monitor and the keyboard, these are the tangible accessories of a computer. The software is the collection of programs that makes the machine work.
In computer, what humans considered difficult would only be simple for a computer to do. It only takes eight seconds for a computer to compute the orbit of a planet and it does not complain about the bulk or repetitive nature of work because it operates at a fast speed. A computer can add a million pairs of nine-digit numbers which will take longer to an ordinary human. Man divides his time into seconds, minutes and even hours while computer lives in a world of milliseconds (that is one thousandth of a second), microseconds (that is one millionth of a second), and nanoseconds (that is one billionth of a second).
Banks and business establishments rely on computers to cope with their daily transactions because computers can process volumes of data, perform tasks repeatedly yet accurate and precise. Unlike human who when asked to perform the same task will most likely commit mistakes and performs slower. When a computer makes mistakes it can be blamed on the person who input data in it. The concept “garbage in-garbage out” or commonly known as GIGO is usually the root of computer mistake. If the instruction and data fed into the computer are incorrect then the output would also be incorrect. The belief that computers are of higher intelligence than man and it cannot commit mistakes is a misconception.
Computer also has some limitations and will not work unless you give it a set of detailed instructions stored in a program. You can ask a little girl to do her homework and she will obliged at once in just a single statement but with computer - it is not enough. The computer is only as good as the instructions it receives. So unless you instruct it properly it will become worthless. The meaning of the instructions you will give to the computer will depend on how it was programmed.
Being only a machine made by man, computer is subject to occasional breakdowns and it is a must to check and maintain it regularly just like ordinary office equipment.
And to lessen computer related problems it is better to follow these computer ethics:
- Give respect and consideration to other users of computers
- Think about the effects and outcome of the program you are using
- Do not use computer to harm other people
- Use the computer mouse gently: It is not a hammer
- Store computer in a cool dry place
- Do not interfere with other people working at the computer
- Use spill proof mugs when drinking soda near the computer
- Do not snoop around other people's computer files
- Do not use the computer to steal
- Do not use computer to bear false witness
- Give recognition to people who has the intellectual right
- Do just use other computer that is not yours without permission
- Do not abuse the use of computer
- When on-line, respect the rules and the set of standards
- Remember that computers are not perfect
They may have fantastic capabilities but computers are nothing to be afraid of and now that we know its limitations - we now have a better understanding and clearer picture of what computers can and cannot do for us.
