Personal computers (PCs) are electrical
machines that are capable of performing calculations on various types of
information by using a stored set of instructions. PCs are used for work, leisure,
and educational purposes (p. 235). Some of the PCs equipment can include a
monitor(screen), tower, keyboard and a mouse. How is a PC used? In my previous blog, I stated
that a PC is so essential in my life because I use it daily, from my school
work, to paying bills and of course my job. Since its introduction to households,
PCs have impacted the innovation of communication technology.
The impact of computers has been at
an all-time high, penetration of PCs in a household held a rate of 70% in 2003 and
is now estimated at 90%. According to online lecture, study shows at least ¼ of
U.S. household have more than 1 PC. So why does society like PCs so much? Discussion
of the research presented by Dutton, Rogers, and Jun explained the adaptation
of PCs, “This strong relationship exists because home computers are an “active”
innovation… that involves the adopter/user in puzzle-solving behavior” (p.
243).
Since its adaption to society, PCs
have been known to cause certain affects in individual’s leisure time. Increased computing caused less time spent sleeping, watching TV, listening to
radio or reading books and less social interactions. However, there were positive behavior when using a PC. Time spent on PCs increased but it gave individuals the initiative to complete work, especially school work. “Computing increases the amount of time studying...” (pg.239). PCs have their pros and cons but it
does depend on the usage of the actual device. Users spend on average 6 – 17
hours per week computing. That can calculate
to at least 1 to 2.4 hours per day. It may not seem a lot but looking at a screen for 2 hours can strain your eyes. We can admit that PCs change our behavioral patterns but it allows us to gain more knowledge and become successful in our work.
References
Dutton, W. H., Rogers, E. M., & Jun, S.-H. (1987).
Diffusion and Social Impacts of Personal Computers. Communication Research,
14(2), 219–250. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365087014002005
Hello! I completely agree if you and what you said about the pros and cons of using a PC. I think it is very important to be aware of the time we spend looking at a screen, be it our phones, a TV, or a PC. However, I believe PCs have brought way more benefits to society. I can get a lot of study/work done, I can use it to talk to my family and friends in the other side of the world, I can watch videos, series, and movies. I recently signed up for an online graphic design course, something in which I would not be able to take if it wasn’t online since the Academy that offers these courses is not even in the U.S.
ReplyDelete- Gabrielle Oliveira
I agree that my personal computer is used for almost everything. My school, bills, leisure time and many more things. I do agree as I stay up late day after day on my personal devises unable or should I say not wanting to step away from the screen to escape my work and academic life. My PC has made my academics come easier to me weather its an increased access to classes and notes or textbooks I find I spend a large chunk of my time (most likely in the 6-17 hour a week time frame) on my devises. I can’t say I am proud of all my time spent on my personal computers, but it is a large part of my daily life and academic career. Thanks for the post
ReplyDeleteSarah Dieringer
Computers have had a huge impact in our lives. The positives impact is that you can have everything you need at your fingertips some people not even having to leave the comfort of their homes. Having a computer at home can help you work/study from home. Me having to use QuickBooks for an easier way of managing my business as well as taking online classes to be able to manage my time more wisely has helped me tremendously. Not to even mention amazon and Heb doing online orders straight to your home. I believe this is a bad thing because you lose the interaction with the world around you sub coming to only yourself and your PC. PC's are amazing but too much can be a bad thing so maybe we shouldn’t go overboard with taking advantage of our PC’s to every extent possible.
ReplyDeleteYovani A. Gonzalez
Computers are changing us at a higher rate of speed than we are realizing. I think that is good and bad. Whats good is that information is now more abundant and accessible than ever. Just about every question I want to ask I just ask google. When I was a kid I used to ask my mom and dad questions. Now google is the one answering questions about how to ask a girl out or how to play base ball. Google is both your mom, dad and even your funny uncle, if you want it to be. The bad side is that we have no idea what all of our integration with computers will amount too. 6 - 17 hours a week is a lot of time and at this rate of speed I would expect to be "one" with the computer in about a hundred years. Who knows? I might have google in my brain to help me with exams rather than in my front pocket. - Noah Alkusari
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI can apply the research that you talk about to my everyday life, and I agree that personal computers can take a lot of time out of your day. I love the convenience that my laptop offers me to get my school work done whenever I have the chance, but it can also be a distraction at times. There are times that I am completely unmotivated to do homework and instead of doing my homework and being productive I can get on YouTube or facebook with just one click. Like you said, there are both good and bad things with having the ease of a personal computer at your finger tips. -Alex Villarreal
Definitely agree with the whole paper about how computers can be beneficial and harmful to us. I like how you mentioned how often people on average spend time on their PC, and it's likely than people our age spend way more time on PCs than the average. Still, I think it's important that you mentioned that the severity of the pros and cons vary on the user, leaving us to decide how much time we dedicate to a monitor.
ReplyDelete-Jordan Chagoya
I agree with your comment that time spent on PCs results in less time sleeping and doing other thinks. I am personally a witness to that statement sadly. I could be doing something more productive but instead I decide to be on my laptop for a few hours watching videos or doing random things. Lol. Good job! – Tija Hawkins
ReplyDeleteWonderful blog! I remember using DSL as a kid to get on AOL instant messenger every day after school on our old Dell computer. It is amazing to me when I think about how far the technology has come from back then. In fact, technology has shown to be the fastest growing industry and the capabilities of computers has made leaps over the past few decades. I think it is important for people to understand how much technology has advanced because it will demonstrate what technology will look like in the future. The industry is not slowing down any time soon and most likely will continue to develop at an even faster rate in the coming years.
ReplyDelete