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Matt Varela

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Is the world dependent on computers?

Believe it or not, forty years ago there were many people who had never even seen a computer. Today we see computers everywhere. Do we rely too much on computers?

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Topics: technology
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  • Barry Palmer 50+

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    Nov 8 2012: The economies of the western world have been dependent on computers for decades.

    I recently asked the owner of a local coffee shop if she could stay in business without her computer. She thought about this for a whole three seconds before saying no.

    Computers are part of our infrastructure, just as much as roads and pipelines.
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    Feyisayo Anjorin 50+

    • +1
    Nov 7 2012: I don't think the world depends on computers. There are billions of people without computers who are happy without it, who are not obsessed with it, and who do not have exaggerated impressions of what could be done with computers.
    There are also those who rely too much on it, just as there are people who just see computers for what they are: just another human invention.

  • John Smith 30+

    • +1
    Nov 6 2012: "Is the world dependent on computers?"

    Yes.

    "Do we rely too much on computers?"

    No, but we do rely too much on a handful of computer manufacturers, two nukes (one one Silicon Vally, one on Shenzhen) would almost completely obliterate mankind's ability to build computers for several years. Only a handful of companies design all the hardware that is then build in even fewer factories.
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    Lejan . 30+

    • +1
    TED Translator
    Nov 6 2012: Not the world, but many, if not most of all people, are.

  • Robert Galway 20+

    • +2
    Nov 6 2012: Yes. If you take away computers, many public services would be crippled. Computers have been doing things for so long, the skills associated with NOT using the computer to solve problems are slowly dying out.
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