Our History With Computers

There are plenty of amazing pieces of technology that have changed human lives all around the world. The printing press, the steam engine, the sanitary pad: all of these creations have had a revolutionary effect not only on the people who first used thembut on society as a whole. While plenty of objects have earned their places as integral to the development of human history, there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Or, perhaps, monitor and screen above the rest. That’s right; we’re talking about the computer.

The way in which computers have changed our lives is myriad and varied, but here is a brief overview of our human history as influenced by the computing device.

Professional Changes

First and foremost, the computer has changed the workplace and our relationship with it. This makes sense when you consider how the very first object considered to be a computer – the Jacquard Loom – was invented by a Frenchman in 1801 to improve the efficiency of weaving work. Since that time, computers have been introduced into countless industries to make life easier for workers.

One of the most obvious ways in which computers have changed professional lives is through the introduction of these pieces of technology to the office. Computers led to the creation of the cubicle in the office, and by the 1980s, nearly everyone in an office was working on computers all the time.

Computers also brought about a piece of software that has changed professional lives in every industry, from teaching to plumbing: Microsoft PowerPoint. Whether you feel that this was a blessing or a curse, you can’t deny it has massively changed everyone’s working life!

Personal Changes

Where the first changes brought about by the introduction of the computer happened in the workplace, the most interesting of them occurred in people’s personal lives. The advent of portable computers – laptops – meant that each person could pop a computer into a bag and take it anywhere. This led to the development of computers as our everyday companions.

These days, laptops are multipurpose high-tech pieces of technology that can be used for gaming, entertainment, work, and more. The AMD Ryzen 7, for example, offers all this and more in a portable, durable case.

That said, it isn’t just the moveability of computers that has changed our lives: it is what they have allowed us to do. In terms of being organizational tools, with the ability to keep track of abundant information and process it, computers have given us the power to track our lives in completely new ways: fitness trackers, word processors, calendar apps, and, of course, the incredible ability to link together in the way we now know to be the Internet.

This remarkable tool for communication has enabled us to talk instantly to loved ones across the world, see scenes from lives completely different from our own, and share our experiences with audiences of millions. Without the computer, it never would have happened!