ICS 309

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• ICS 309
• Computers and Society
• Introduction

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What if our world was without computers
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The Ubiquity of Computers and the Rapid Pace of
Change

• Have you used a computer today?
• You have if you used
• an ATM,
• a CD-player,
• a cell phone,
• a modern appliance, or
• an electronic device.

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Some Positive Impacts of New Technology

• Convenience.
• Time-saving.
• Cost-saving.
• Less effort than older technologies.
• New types of jobs.
• More options for transactions.
• Improvements in crime-fighting.
• Small error rate.

5
Group discussions

• Benefits Computers Bring to
• Communications
• Transportation
• Education and training
• Crime fighting
• Medicine and health
• Disabled
• Office automation
• Environment

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Benefits Computers Bring to Communication

• Non-invasive read at recipients convenience.
• Time-saving.
• Access to vast amounts of information.
• Text, graphics, and sound can be combined.
• Much information on WWW is free.
• Public forums not limited to geographic
  boundaries.
• More independence.
• More options for communicating.
• Remote access available.
• Traditional boundaries are no obstacle.
• Reliability

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Benefits Computers Bring to Transportation

• Navigation.
• Diagnostics.
• Safety.
• Hybrid engines.
• Efficiency of fuel-burning.
• Traffic pattern studies.
• E-ticketing
• Itinerary (trip planning)
• Databases on driving license
• Weather forecasting

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Benefits Computers Bring to Education and Training

• Language acquisition.
• Spelling.
• Literacy.
• Distance/e- learning.
• Modeling.
• Simulations.
• Speech recognition.
• Speech synthesis.
• Virtual training
• Management
• E-books Huge resources on the net

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Benefits of Computers in Fighting Crime

• Improved crime reporting.
• Reliable and accurate identification
• Faster search of arrest records and fingerprint
  files.
• Remote access to records and reports, e.g. from
  patrol cars.
• Enhancement of records (fingerprints and photos).
• Access to numerous databases.
• Polygraph
• Digital certification
• Improved monitoring, and surveillance equipment.

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Benefits Computers Bring to Medicine

• Sophisticated imaging and diagnosis.
• Reduced surgery time.
• Patient monitoring and timely medicine taking.
• Early ambulation.
• Improved treatments.
• Better organization of patient records
• Better administration (Appointments and billing)
• Telemedicine
• Fewer errors.

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Benefits Computers Bring to the Disabled

• Disability-specific computer applications (e.g.,
  a braille printer).
• Control of household and workplace appliances.
• Mobility and access to many facilities.
• Control of artificial limbs.
• Improved vision.
• Access to adaptive educational equipment.
• Improved communication.
• Opportunity to return to work.

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Benefits Computers Bring to Office Automation

• Organize and access large inventories.
• Better scheduling
• Better communication
• Group mailing
• Better presentation
• Improved customer satisfaction.
• Save cost/time/effort.
• Decision making systems
• Paperless
• Tedious, monotonous work done by machine.
• Improved workplace safety.

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Benefits Computers Bring to Environment

• Saving natural resources (paperless)
• Effective use of natural resources
• Decrease pollution
• Moisture.
• Acidity.
• More environment-friendly machines
• Stress in materials.
• Reducing Paper Use and Trash
• Send/receive digital documents instead of
  hardcopy.
• Read, write, and edit online.
• Reduced cost, storage, toxic wastes.

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Some Negative Impacts of New Technology

• Unemployment.
• Alienation.
• Poor Customer Service.
• Crime.
• Loss of Privacy.
• Errors.

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Social Problems!!!!!!
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Alienation