Ms. Carla Pastor
English 1100 126
12/7/10
Technology good vs. bad We live in an age of unprecedented modernizations and innovations. Merit goes to the different forms of computer technology, which are frequently changing; this means we are able to access more information quicker and in a shorter time. For instance in today’s society the fields of Communication and Medicine is constantly advancing, but yet they both create significant fatalities. Technology has helped amplify the swiftness of communiqué and shrunk its cost. At the same time it has caused people to become more distant with each other. Before we can acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages of information technology, it is critical that we know what information technology is precisely, and why it has it come to play such an important role in our day to day lives. In Today’s environment, information technology involves more than just computer knowledge; it also takes into relative how computers work, supplementary to how these computers can further be used not just for information dispensation but also for infrastructure and analytical tasks as well. This paper aims to target an audience that is well aware of the advantages and the pitfalls of using new technologies, but in the overall scheme of things technology has been a blessing for the world in general, making our lives easier so much so that we could not imagine life today with some of the technological essentials that we have today. Technology is a fundamental cog in the general expansion of business and operations all over the earth. Of course trade has been constructed all over the globe even before the PC or supplementary technologies had ever existed but the fact remains that the innovative technologies have altered the rules of the game. From the preliminary stages of business among humans that incorporated the barter trade system and then the introduction of legal tender in the form of different currencies companies had sluggish growth in real terms. But the introduction of the computer to the business world meant that businesses were going to change at all levels. Today almost all the businesses in the world find themselves at the mercy of the internet. (Schmidt, 208-213) With the assistance of Information Technology our world has altered a lot at present. Things that were once done bodily by hand have now become mechanized with the help of these systems, which simply necessitate a single click to get a task concluded. We not only are able to stream line our business processes by the help of Information Technology but are also able to get constant information in 'real time ' that is up to the minute and up to date. From business to leisure and even society, Information Technology has penetrated almost every facet of our lives. Today personal PCs, cell phones, fax machines, pagers, email and internet have all not only become a essential part of our very society but also play a vital role in our routine activities. A few advantages of information technology include: Globalization – Information Technology has allowed the world’s economy to become a single inter-reliant structure. In a way Information Technology is responsible for bringing our world closer, this means that we can not only share information swiftly and proficiently, but can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a worldwide village due to the help of information technology allowing countries in Asia especially who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares thoughts and information with each other. Communication – Communication has become a lot cheaper, faster and more competent with the help of information technology. We can now commune with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost instant retort. Face to Face direct communication from different parts of the world is all due to the Internet again. Cost effectiveness - Information technology has helped to mechanize the business process thus businesses to reformatting to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases efficiency which ultimately gives rise to proceeds that means better pay and less laborious working circumstances. Cultural gap – Major credit for helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another and allowing the exchange of views and ideas goes to Information technology. IT has thus increased awareness and reduced chauvinism. More time – Now businesses are open 24x7 all over the globe. This means that commerce can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from poles apart countries easily and more conveniently conducted. It also means that you can have your goods transport right to your front doorstep with having to move a sole muscle. (Nicholas, 74-79) Formation of fresh jobs - In all probability the best advantage of information technology is the creation of new and interesting jobs. Some of the many new employment opportunities created with the help of IT are Computer programmers, Systems analyzers, Hardware and Software developers and Web designers. But as with all other facets of life, everything that is good brings along with it certain implications that may be harmful as well, technology is no different: Redundancy – Unemployment rate has become higher due to the fact that Information Technology has streamlined the business process in such a way that downsizing and outsourcing had become an integral part of businesses now. Confidentiality – People are now concerned about their once concealed information to becoming public knowledge, from cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking. Dominant culture – Information Technology has throw in to one culture dominating another weaker one. For instance it is now argued that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act, dress and behave. Lingo too has eclipsed, with English becoming the primary mode of communication for business and everything else. As expertise continues to proceeds and society advance, people maintain to use the less personal forms of communication, and create new problems in the field of medicine. The fear of becoming a society, which converse only through machines, and creates new disease, is becoming greater with time. For all of society’s expand there are fatalities. Envision what life would be like if we had to agenda our use of the telephone but Good technology is always available, it does not require scheduling, set-up or relocation. The accessibility requirement raises cost considerations. Gear that costs less is more likely to be accessible. But cost is not the sole or even principal determinant. If a technology meets the other standard, it will be made widely obtainable despite the fee, suppose ATMs, electrical lights, and highways. (Schmidt, 21-24) You will find that superior technology is constantly on or can be turned on with a one-stroke authority or, better yet, starts automatically when the need for it arises. Operating systems do not require constant booting up, that’s what makes the technology practical. Today 's learning technology requires extended and every so often cumbersome initialization procedures. The ‘always on’ prerequisite raises momentous power consumption thought. A portable apparatus that devour a lot of energy cannot at all times be on because it must carry its own power supply. Devices with low power use however, can at all times be on For example cell phones, elevators & personal digital assistants. Good quality technology is always linked; it can send information when and where it is needed without human involvement. The alarms in this case will be useless if detectors were not connected to the warning systems. Also cell phones are useful because no procedure is required to connect to the telephone system. Good technology is always simple. Effortlessness is a smooth concept, but the best technologies can be educated by looking at the input device, not by studying a instruction booklet. Here 's how to differentiate between high-quality computer programs and low-quality computer programs: try to install and run the program without the use of any manual. ‘Setup’ makes it much easier in this age of technology. Running the setup is entirely a different matter. High-quality technology, by disparity, is spontaneous. To use a cell phone, all we have to do is dial the number, easy. Effortlessness or simplicity goes together with assortment of function. Features that by no means get used in a way & they make the product complex and unwieldy. Good technology is tailored to different individuals. Various types of uncomplicated technologies thrive due to fact that they can be customized according to the user’s needs. One of the primary reasons that make telephone a useful technology is its facility to grant you your own individual telephone number. In same way e-mail has also been useful for the reason that you can have access to your own personalized email account. ATM cards won’t be of any use unless it is associated to your bank account and only your account which is protected by several number digit passwords. Cell phones, pagers, credit cards and eye glasses are other examples of personalized technologies. Bad technology forces you to adjust to its requirements. I acquired my copy of Microsoft Word in Canada, and realized that the default dictionary was set to American English. I can install a British dictionary, but the fact that Canadian English is distinctive from both British and American English which in the end will not help my cause. Like several other users, I am enforced to insert all distinctly Canadian word to custom dictionary. This is an example of bad technology. Why is it that I can 't basically tell Word that I am Canadian and have it retrieve the correct spellings for me? Good technology will be able to fulfill your needs they way you want it. To do the way you want it to be means the same thing as "idiot proof." Good technology minimizes the possibility for operative error and therefore the likelihood of unanticipated consequences. Conclusion You will be wise to remember that no technology is just right. No technology will satisfy all your needs. On the other hand some technologies will please more rules than others & several technologies will even shatter a rule or two and still be very good technologies if only because no better alternative is available. That said, purchasers should insist on good high-quality technology. We squander too much time and wealth on new gadgets to be content with anything less. Lastly as this paper makes it evident that fact remains that technology is another facet that we humans are using to enhance our way of life, albeit a very significant on. But the use of this powerful resource is ultimately that defines whether it is good or bad and remains for the most part for our future generations to judge.
Works Cited
Murphy, Tony. Achieving Business Value from Technology. New York: Wiley, 2010.
Schmidt, John G. Lean Integration: An Integration Factory Approach to Business Agility. Boston: Addison-Wesley Professional, 2010.
Nicholas, John M. Project Management for Business, Engineering, and Technology. Chicago: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008.
Cited: Murphy, Tony. Achieving Business Value from Technology. New York: Wiley, 2010. Schmidt, John G. Lean Integration: An Integration Factory Approach to Business Agility. Boston: Addison-Wesley Professional, 2010. Nicholas, John M. Project Management for Business, Engineering, and Technology. Chicago: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Throughout the vast history of humanity, humans have always used their innovative and cognitive skills to create tools to better improve their chances at survival on this planet. This technology advancement first began in the Stone Age when man fist discovered that stone could be utilized as both a harvesting tool and hunting weapon; which gradually developed into spears, bows and arrows, and swords. And as time pressed on, one of the most important and influential inventions since the beginning of time was designed in the shape of a circle: the wheel. However, unlike in earlier times, the evolution of technology in the past 60 years has been growing so rapidly that society has scarcely been able to keep up with it on a global scale. And due to this accelerated development of technology, accurate assessment and critical reflection on our dependency of these new technologies has been greatly hindered. So if one were to consider all the consequences and results of today’s technology objectively, could our dependency on modern day technology be viewed as positive or negative outcome? Both sides of this argument have solid, valid claims, but do the pros outweigh the cons or are the benefits of technology not worth the potential harm it can cause to our society.…
- 1688 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
“Thanks to technology we have never been more connected-or alienated.” Have you ever noticed when there is a family gathering the majority of the time the family members are spending their time using technology rather than socializing? One will notice that almost every person will be using technology whether it is cell phones, iPods, tablets or the television. After reading Sherry Turkle’s “ Can You Hear Me Now” essay it got me thinking, is technology the one to blame for us bring so alienated?…
- 1277 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
In this section I will be discussing how the information age is affecting our lives in many ways. I will examine the following 5 examples to show its impact on our social, personal, and professional lives. From a lot of research I’ll put together all the knowledge I have learnt about the information age and give you a good outlook on how technology has enhanced the way we live our lives today. I will take in to account the advantages and disadvantages of this technological advancement.…
- 3209 Words
- 13 Pages
Good Essays -
Today's society is different to the one that existed not so many years ago. Our society is constantly changing. The most important characteristics of our era may be the transformation, transmission and dominion of information. We live in an information society where the leading role has been given to new technologies, especially those devoted to information. Our society could not be imagined without new technologies and their role both in this society and in human life in general.…
- 1328 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
: In our generation so many things are different. The advent of technology has changed the way we live, work and spends leisure time. Computer was considered the lifeblood of society; they are everywhere. And the advancement in discoveries, both in hardware and software, keep coming, day in and day out. Technology changes and improves at a rapid pace and companies and institutions have cope with it. This is because as the latest knowledge of development in computer technology grows people’s standard increase. They seek and crave for better and more efficient ways to accomplish tedious task.…
- 514 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Technology is at the center of our universe. Technology has changed so much since the beginning of time and continues to advance even further. Technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Technology has made many of our lives better, but it has also hindered us as well. Technological advances in medicine are a great example of how technology is necessary. However technology often used in social media encourages less face-to-face interaction. I feel that as a whole we have become too reliant on technology. We need to be able to rely on ourselves sometimes rather than just a device all the time. The main disadvantages that technology brings about are it promotes isolationism, laziness, and lack of privacy.…
- 901 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers. This quote, relayed by Sydney G. Harris, has many meanings to it. The basic meaning that Harris is trying to convey is that one should "open up his/her minds" and realize what is really occurring, not what is being covered up. These days, the tendency is generally for one to think about how one day, computers might be able to think like humans, and the problems that that might generate, but people don't realize the real problem, which is if humans start thinking like computers, that would be by far more devastating than the preceding.…
- 552 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Computers began from a wild imaginative idea to the world’s highly prioritized tool. Computers today are now used as a substitute to manual processes and other past inventions like the radio, television, etc. It is now used by people for much simpler, easier and faster way to do things. Some use it as a hobby, and some use it as a job. Technology has never stopped from advancing through the years. Its new innovations helps answer the people’s further complex questions. Why not use this as advantages to benefit ourselves?…
- 1153 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
To determine whether technology is a blessing or a curse is one of the hardest decisions one can make. This has generated a big controversy, leading into the creation of two different positions and views: supporters and opponents.…
- 362 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
As made obvious by latest observations, we should admit that information technology has invaded the life of each and everyone. All the daily routine depends on sophisticated electronic kits.…
- 365 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
* in countries like America students are going to school and killing without reason; in countries like those in Africa people are killing for money…
- 520 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
It does not worth mentioning, that the modern age of information has made people dependent of their computers greatly and it influences the human life controversially. On the one hand, people gain the opportunity to fulfill more work and spend less time on it; on the other…
- 339 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
After the second Industrial Revolution, many new form of technology emerged and gave influence on people's lifestyles. But does technology always benefit us or can it have some negative effects? Ofcourse, this topic has two diferrent point of views, so it will have supporters and opponents.…
- 291 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In this modern world, many people cannot survive without the aid of advanced technology. From cell phones to computers to medical machines, we rely on these things on a daily basis. It is difficult to imagine life without the internet and other conveniences. However, as much as it made our lives easier, it made it more complicated too.…
- 880 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
It is clear that we are living in a developing century. It has never stopped advancing until to the present. If we look back at the history of human beings for the last 100 years, we make sure what amazing changes have happened. The discovery of modern technology brought about these changes. Beginning with the telegraph, and continuing on to and beyond mobile phones and computers, they have helped humans improve their conditions of living. In other words, it has solved so many problems and it is making our life much more convenient day-to-day.…
- 336 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays