The Most Important Achievement of the last 1000 years

Created Oct 6, 2000 | Updated Jan 28, 2002

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 I think
that the development of computers is the most important human achievement of
the last thousand years. Computers in
medicine are saving lives because a computer can offer a second opinion on a
diagnosis. The Internet may one day
replace stores as a place to buy goods and services. Robotics is reducing the costs of manufacturing products, making
them available to a larger market.
People can receive a degree online, instead of going to a college. Computers affect almost everyone, whether
they realize it or not.

 Computers
are greatly changing the field of medicine.
They are used to make medical processes much more economical. Procedures like the Computerized Axial
Tomography (CAT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) require the use of
computers to process the information.
The Post Operative Expert Medical System (POEMS) is used to help new
doctors by giving suggestions on what action should be taken on patients. Tele-Medicine is used to save lives, because
specialists hundreds of miles away can diagnose patients with rare conditions (Time,
Fall 1996).

 The
Internet is already driving some store-based companies out of business. Online stores can stock more goods, and sell
them at lower costs, because they do not have to pay rent on stores or pay for
salaries. Many traditional stores also
have web sites, and some are making a switch to Internet-only businesses. I think that the Internet is an excellent
place to sell goods, because it can be accessed by almost anyone, anywhere, at
any time. I think that the Internet
will definitely replace traditional businesses. 

 New
advances in machine vision are reducing the costs of operating these machines
greatly. This is making the final cost
of the item being produced lower, therefore making them available to a broader
market. It also reduces the need for
human inspectors, driving the price even lower. Most new technology products would be impossible to manufacture without
the aid of machine vision. This
technology has many uses, from inspecting for blemishes on sunglass lenses to
making sure the right type of tires go on the proper car. I think that this is a very valuable
technology and it is only possible with the aid of computers (Industry Week;
Cleveland; April 17,1999). 

On May 17, 1999, five students
graduated from an online university.
This marks a new step in the Internet Revolution. First people could shop and trade stocks
online, and now people may take a college course or get a full university
degree online. Universities that cannot
afford a campus can have an online university, getting rid of the cost of a
physical campus, and hopefully reducing tuition. Eventually, professors could reach a much wider audience then
they currently do in conventional classrooms.
Some regular colleges are beginning to offer online courses aimed at
people who cannot attend during the day ( Business Week, August 9,
1999).

These are just a few examples of
how computers are the most influential development of the last thousand
years. Almost every field of science,
business, the arts etc, have been affect by the advent of computers. I think that computers are the unavoidable
future of mankind. Used wisely,
computers will be a valuable asset in the future progress of the human
race. 

 

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